Pride Comes Before The Fall
by IceyK
Summary: AU Balto - When Balto manages to track down the lost sled team, Steele goes insane and takes it all out on the wolfdog. Believing he finished the job once and for all, Steele returns back to Nome to claim the glory all for himself, and win the heart of his utmost desire. Will pride become Steele's best friend, or will it end up becoming his fall?
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I own this story. All characters and certain elements are the property of their respective owners.**

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**Pride Comes Before The Fall**

Prologue

On a cold, winter night, a team of sled dogs huddled together to stay warm. Several hours ago, their lead dog led them astray and they tumbled down an icy incline on the mountain side, and came to rest in a small clearing near the edge of a cliff. With only a small lantern providing minimal warmth, sharing body heat with each other was necessary. Their Master was unconscious, and was in serious condition. To make matters even worse, they were carrying extremely precious cargo: a crate full of diphtheria anti-toxin. This anti-toxin was expected in the town of Nome to help combat an epidemic, one that already had its grasp on twenty-seven young children. Without this medicine, many lives would surely be lost. Since the sled team was now stranded and off of the beaten path, the deaths of those children became a real possibility.

As the night progressed on, the winter storm seemed to let up. The snow was gently falling from the sky, and the wind had drastically died down. The sled dogs were covered in a light blanket of snow, and were trying desperately to keep warm. One of these dogs was a skinny, raggedy husky named Star. His stamina, speed, and endurance made up for his lowly appearance, which made him a valuable member of the team. Star was particularly concerned about the well being of his Master, who was still incapacitated after falling down the icy slope. He sat a few feet away from the downed musher, shivering. His eyes were glued to the man, hoping to see something that would let him know he was alright. Occasionally, he would lean down and nudge the man's hand with his muzzle, hoping to get some kind of response. But he never did. Star had come up with the thought of two possibilities as to his condition. One, the musher was dead. Or two, he was out cold. He silently hoped for the latter. Star shut his eyes, and sighed in defeat. There was no way anyone would find them all the way out here. Sooner or later, someone would have to get the guts to tell Steele that they needed to try to get moving. He looked over at Steele, who was sitting about ten feet away with his back turned to everyone, breathing slow and deep. Star had learned many times to not bother Steele when he was angry. _"Fat chance we're getting out of here alive,"_ he thought to himself. Suddenly, Star heard the sound of something scraping on ice and looked up. He was stunned at what he saw sliding down the slope.

"Balto!" he exclaimed, surprise and shock evident in his voice.

The other dogs quickly shed the snow off of themselves, and like Star, could not believe that Balto was indeed there. Questions and statements were thrown about among the dogs. Nikki and Kaltag, two other members of the group, hit Balto with questions at nearly the same time. "Is that Balto?" Nikki asked, one eyebrow shooting up in disbelief. "Balto!" How did- How did you find us?!" Kaltag cut in. Balto smoothly slid to the base of the slope and jumped forward to assess the situation. "Is anyone hurt?" he urgently questioned. All heads turned to the menacing voice that came from the malamute sitting alone. "Everyone. Is. Fine." Star walked up to the musher, and quickly explained his condition to Balto. "Yeah, but our musher hit his head- and... he didn't get up." Star nudged the man again as Balto walked up to the harness and grabbed it. "Alright, follow me. I can lead you home," he said, his words muffled due to the harness in his mouth. The line suddenly went stiff, which was accompanied by the loud clap of Steele's paw on top of it as it hit the snow covered ground.

"We don't need _your_ help," Steele angrily muttered. He started breathing a bit harder now. Star, attempting to diffuse the situation, said, "M-Maybe we should listen to him." This caused Steele to become even more angry, and he started to growl. He snapped at Star, who threw his paws over his head in fear. Nikki questioned Balto on how he would get them home. Balto walked over to a tree. "Well, I marked the trail... like this." He stood up on his rear legs and used his front claws to scratch a chunk of bark off of the tree, exposing the wood underneath. The other dogs responded to this with oohs and ahhs, clearly impressed by the technique. Steele lunged in front of Balto and forced him back. " I'll get us back. I'm the lead dog. _I'm_ in charge!" he said. Balto was stunned. "Pshh. Then let me take back the medicine. They're getting sicker." Balto then moved toward the sled. Again, Steele jumped in front of him and growled. "Touch that box and I'll tear you apart," he said menacingly. Nikki turned to Kaltag and gave him a mischievous look. "Two bones says Steele takes him," Nikki said. Kaltag chuckled, before responding with, "You're on."

The other dogs sat in a circle, anticipating a fight. Balto began to pace in front of Steele. Head low, he addressed Steele in a serious tone. "Steele, I'm not leaving without that medicine." Balto then walked toward the sled again. Steele reared back and slammed his front paws into Balto's side, causing him to tumble over and nearly lose his balance. "Who do you think you are?!", Steele spat, starting to show signs of losing it. Nikki piped up to Kaltag again. "This is gonna be good!"

Balto was still catching his breath from the offensive move. It left him winded. "Since.. *gasp* Since when do you need a pedigree to help someone?" he said, confidently walking towards the sled again. Steele lunged in front of him and snapped at Balto. He began to growl, hoping it would deter Balto from making any more moves. Instead, Balto collected himself and spoke to the malamute again. "Steele... Let me help you." The expression of sincerity was obvious in his voice. For a split second, Steele seemed to acknowledge it. Balto made another move towards the sled. Steele, coming back to his senses, drove his head full force into Balto's side, knocking him over this time. In addition to a loud grunt from the wolfdog, a crack was also heard. Steele let out an evil laugh, knowing he broke a rib or two that time. Balto was down on the ground now, and he was gasping for air. The atmosphere of the situation changed at that instant. Nikki and Kaltag were no longer joking around about the fight. All of the dogs were now silently watching as Steele casually walked towards the wolfdog, who at that moment finally managed to steady himself as he lay on the ground. Steele wasted no time in sinking his teeth into Balto's shoulder, which elicited a howl of pain from Balto. He then proceeded to throw him against a rock. Balto hit hard, and pain shot through his entire body. He rolled down the rock and hit the ground. The impact nearly caused him to black out. At this point, Balto's vision was blurred and he was not fully aware of his surroundings. The grey fur on Balto's shoulder was now turning red as blood steadily flowed out of his wound.

Steele moved in towards him again, and grabbed his rear leg and drug him over to the edge of the cliff, leaving a trail of blood mixed in the snow. Balto yelled out in agony, but could not muster the strength to fight back. Balto's suffering was music to Steele's ears, while the other dogs flinched at the horrific sight in front of them. They were in complete shock as to what was happening. Star quickly snuck over to Kaltag and Nikki, asking the question that every dog was unknowingly thinking. "He.. he wouldn't d-do that... Would he?" Kaltag quickly shushed him, and all eyes were back on Steele.

A few feet from the edge, Steele dropped Balto's leg and grabbed his scruff, yanking him up into a sitting position. Balto was in shock due to all the other pain he was feeling, so he barely felt it at all. He was drifting in and out of consciousness, which caused his eyes to open and close. "Keep your eyes open, you filthy lobo!" Steele growled, biting harder on Balto's scruff. The additional pain caused him to gasp and involuntarily spasm, bringing him to his senses. Steele dropped him and Balto tried to sit up, but found that everything he did caused excruciating pain to shoot through every nerve in his body. He opened his eyes to see Steele with an unnaturally evil look on his face. Steele slowly paced in front of Balto, a sadistic smile growing on his muzzle every second.

"You shouldn't have come here, you filthy mutt. I'm done with you. I've put up with your crap for far too long, and I just... can't take it anymore! You are destroying my reputation... And you're turning _her_ against me. Jenna... she... she is... mine... _MINE! _Always was and always will be. I've seen the way you look at her. You don't deserve her. A wolfdog and a huksy? HA! In your dreams, lobo."

Balto felt Steele tug at the silky orange scarf that was around his neck, loosening it's hold on him. Deep down, Balto knew what was about to happen, and for the first time in a very long time, he was scared. "Please, St-Steele," Balto sputtered, "Let's just take the medicine *cough* back and then we'll t-talk about this."

Steele grinned. "The medicine will be taken back. And we're done talking. For good."

With a swift move, Steele pulled the scarf off of Balto and spun around to deliver a hard kick to his chest with his rear paw, sending Balto flying off the edge. Chills went down the spine of every dog there, and every mouth was wide open in disbelief. Balto screamed out in fear before disappearing from view. Suddenly, there was complete silence. No one dared make a sound. Seconds later, a sickening thud rung out, echoing through the air. There was no doubt as to what made that sound. Steele walked over to the edge and looked down. "Hmph," he muttered. He turned and practically screamed at the other dogs to come to him. In complete submission due to fear, the dogs complied, and slowly trudged over. Once they stood before him, Steele barked at them. "Take a long, hard look down there, boys." He nodded toward the drop off. The dogs initially hesitated, but Steele yelled at them so loud that fear had taken complete control over their bodies. "I SAID LOOK DOWN THERE!" The dogs looked down, and they started feeling sick.

A hundred feet down lay the motionless body of Balto. He did not tumble on the descent, but instead fell straight down and hit the ground hard. The snow surrounding him resembled that of a crater, which gave the dogs an unpleasant idea of how bad the impact was. Steele spoke up, his voice causing the others to flinch. "If _any_ of you say _anything_ about this to _anyone_, you'll meet the same fate as that piece of trash. Do I make myself clear?" Every dog nodded instantly. "When we get back to Nome, I will do all of the talking. You will back me up on _everything_ I say. Now, ready up. We're leaving. Nikki, Kaltag, get the musher on the sled." The two dogs didn't question Steele and immediately rushed over to complete their task. The others quickly strapped onto the harness. Steele took one last look off the edge before stuffing the orange scarf in his golden collar. At long last, the pathetic nuisance that is Balto was gone. Steele had never felt more alive. He felt _invincible_. There was nothing stopping him from having Jenna as his mate now. He would bring the anti-toxin back, and be the hero of Nome, and Jenna would not be able to resist him. No other dog would compete with him for her, or for anything; if they did, it would be their last mistake. Steele began to laugh maniacally as he walked over to the front of the line, causing the others to whimper in fear. The wind had picked back up, and fortunately masked the sounds from Steele's ears. With a quick maneuver, Steele was secured in his harness and howled, signaling the team that they were departing. Kaltag looked back at the area where the traumatic events had just taken place. In addition to the blood trails and distressed snow, he saw patches of grey fur everywhere Balto had been attacked by Steele. What had occurred that night _did not_ need to happen. Balto only wanted to help, and he lost his life because of... that _psychopath_. Steele was now unhinged, and Kaltag was afraid of him. No doubt the others were as well. A lurch on the harness forced him to start running. His heart was heavy with sadness as they crept up the slope. Within a minute, they were out of the small clearing and back on level ground. With one last pause, Steele looked back down at the clearing. He felt no remorse for what he did. It needed to be done; it was long overdue. Steele then took off running, setting a rigorous pace to get back to Nome, eager to claim his long desired prize.

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**A/N: Well, that's the prologue. Spent most of my day in class planning it out (slow day, nothing better to do). The first half of it is practically right out of the movie, and then the second half takes an alternate storyline which the story will run with from here on out. This is my first fic that isn't a one shot, and I've been working on the overall plot for some time. I wanted to end the prologue with some suspense, and I think I did a good job of that. Let me know what you think of it, though. This story will be a T rating, obviously. I'll try my best to keep everything within that rating. Anyways, enjoy! To keep you satisfied until Chapter 1, check out my other stories I have. Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Unexpected Return

Mother nature seemed to be showing no mercy as it threw hurricane force winds and heavy snow at Steele and his team, who were close to returning back to Nome with the anti-toxin. Steele was now pacing the team at a much slower rate instead of running them over their limits like they were two days ago. Just as he said he did, the fool Balto had marked his trail as he went, which allowed Steele to easily find his way back, hence the fact that he wasn't in full on race mode. The ferocious winds whipped around the dogs, biting at their thick winter coats in an attempt to slow them down. Fortunately, they were running with the wind, so it was somewhat manageable. Balto's markings hadn't changed direction for a day now, so Steele assumed they were on the home stretch. Steele had never run in treacherous weather like this before, as all his races in the past were planned accordingly. _"All the better for bragging rights,"_ Steele thought, letting his mind wander. This trip alone would secure him the spot of top dog for sure. Just about every female dog would do _anything_ to be with him now. Any dog could get a mate, but with a long list of feats and his good looks, he could sit back and all of the females would flock to him. Steele laughed at this. He knew he could swoon any girl he wanted without even trying. But then, he got angry. There was one dog whom he couldn't figure out. Jenna was stubborn and always shot him down. He tried every approach in the book, and she rejected them all. It then got him thinking. How could he break her? She was fond of Balto- the thought of that made Steele internally writhe in anger. How Jenna could stand up for that sad excuse for a dog made no sense to him. Why would _anyone_ want to defend him? He may be fast and agile, but he was a mangy mess who got himself into trouble all the time, and using his 'I just want to be accepted' card to sway their emotions to get them to side with him. It was pathetic. It was disgusting. It was... Steele's brain stopped processing words at that moment as a new idea started forming. _"That could work, you know"_, a voice in his head said. _"How?! She's a smart dog. She would never fall for it." _Steele argued back. _"You already know how. You know her weakness. That's all you need."_

And then it hit him. Steele had come up with a brilliant idea. He laughed out loud, while at the same time contemplating the possibility of it actually working. His adrenaline spiked in response, and he picked up speed. Had it not been for the steady pace the team had held for the last day, they would have protested it. But, they dug deep and matched his movements as they ran through the dense forests. For several hours, they ran without missing a beat. Apart from the sled dragging along and the winter winds, the only other sounds in the air were dogs panting and the patter of dog paws on snow. But Steele was drowning these sounds out without even trying. He was so focused on this new idea, that he had tunnel vision, and was only focused on running straight forward. The more he thought of it, the more it seemed so... _perfect_. Without a doubt, it would work. He needed to formulate a plan now. He didn't have to think very hard to come up with one. He played out the scenario in his head, and every second that it progressed made him swell with pride and greed. "It will work," Steele told himself. _"And if it doesn't, then you will make it work,"_ the voice added, an evil twist evident. To the sane minded dog, it was a cruel plan, but Steele was not sane by any means. He was now seriously wanting to get back home to put it into action.

Night had soon fallen on the team as they pressed onward. Steele was finally able to find his bearings, and knew that they would be rolling into town early the next morning. The other dogs were excited, because they were starting to get worn out. A nice comfortable bed and a few days of sleep in the warm boiler room was awaiting them, and they were grateful for that. They were also grateful that the medicine was being delivered. The children would be saved, and they would be renowned as saviors of Nome. Steele had other plans in mind. He had come up with a seemingly foolproof plan to win Jenna over. A little under two hours ago, the team stopped for a short break. Steele spent almost the entire time chewing out his teammates and threatening them to the point where he knew they wouldn't break. It was the first step of his plan. He needed them to understand that if they blew this opportunity, there would be hell to pay. Step two was currently in progress. None of this would be possible if they didn't get home, so that was the next thing he needed to do. The anxiety was starting to consume Steele as they neared closer and closer to Nome. His breathing quickened, and the cold winter air started to seep into every part of his body. Oddly enough, it fueled him and allowed him to run faster. The other dogs were on their last legs, desperately trying to feed any kind of energy to their burning muscles. Seconds felt like minutes, and minutes felt like hours. The temperatures continued to drop, and the weather had finally relented its assault on them. But when they topped a hill and laid eyes on the town, their strength temporarily returned. _They were so close now!_ Steele threw up his head and howled to announce their arrival. The other dogs followed suit. Seconds later, a bright beam of red light appeared on the edge of town at the telegraph office, and a small crowd had formed on either side of the road. Steele put on a proud appearance as they strolled into town, the cheers and yips of joy drowning out everything.

_"You imbecile! Remember the plan!"_ the voice spat at him. Steele immediately threw his head down and began panting heavily, giving the impression that he was worn out. He passed a group of female dogs who started to swoon over him. He was miraculously able to suppress a smile over it. The crowd ahead was blocking the road, which meant that the hospital was there. A doctor, two nurses, and several men suddenly appeared in view and started clapping and cheering, stunned that the team was able to make it back alive. Their joy was short lived though, as they noticed that the musher was not in his usual spot on the sled, but instead bundled up in blankets with the crate resting at his feet. Steele slowed the team down as they came up to the front of the hospital, and they were quickly swarmed by people, eager to praise the dogs for their completed task. Steele barked a command at his team, and they all flinched before hesitantly falling to the ground in a heap, panting fast and hard. Steele grinned. "Part two done," he said to himself. "Part three begins now." The doctor and several men were busy removing the ropes off of the crate from the sled, and the nurses were checking on the condition of the musher. "Steady, now! That medicine has had a long journey!" the doctor said. "How is he?" another man asked concernedly, referencing to the musher. The nurse let out a sigh of relief. "He's alive! We'll get him stabilized and find out the extent of his injuries, but it looks like he's going to be alright!" After several minutes, the crate of anti-toxin was free of its binds and was carried into the hospital to be prepared to be distributed to the ill children. Several strong men lifted the musher up and brought him into the hospital, while another was busy removing the harnesses from the dogs. Even though this moment in time was filled with joy and happiness, it was still early morning, and it was cold and storming out. People started to disperse back into their homes, and soon there was only a few people standing near the hospital. Steele and the others started walking toward the boiler room, where no doubt every dog in Nome was right now. _"You got this, pal,"_ the voice said to him. _"Just do everything the way we planned it out, and she's yours. Well, she's yours regardless.. ha!"_ Steele chuckled to himself, ready to get this over with.

The sun was starting to creep over the horizon when they reached the boiler room. Steele stopped in front of the door, and turned to the other dogs. He began to pace, and spoke in a quiet, assertive, and _eerily_ menacing voice. "Now, remember what I said to you all. I do the talking, and you do _exactly_ as I say. Got it?" The other dogs nodded solemnly, and Steele then pushed open the door.

Sure enough, the room was filled with dogs. The rafters were lined with some of the more smaller, agile dogs, while the bigger and older ones were on the floor. Steele limped in, his team following with their heads down. Not a sound was made from any dog as they walked. Steele could feel everyone's eyes on him. As they neared on of the boilers, several dogs jumped up in fear and scampered off, giving the team a place to lie down and rest. At the back of the room were several persons Steele did not expect to see there at all, and it made him feel slightly uneasy. But then he remembered that, like Jenna, they too had the same weakness, and they would not pose a problem. Not only would they not pose a problem, but he would use them to his advantage. Steele came to a stop several feet in front of the guests. He slowly raised his head to meet them, forcing himself to start whimpering, before breaking out into tears and crying. This in turn caused the two polar bears sitting there to cry as well, and a shaky breath to leave the lungs of an old goose. The fourth guest, who wasn't really a guest at all, sat there with eyes wide and a stunned look on her face. Steele had to dig deep to look her in the eyes, and he had to dig even deeper to hide his true intentions to her. She gasped, and starting shaking her head, saying, "No. No... No.. tell me he's- he's... not..."

"He is," Kaltag softly spoke, his voice cracking in sadness. He knew what Jenna was asking about, and to be honest, it hurt him inside just as much as it hurt her, but Kaltag's suffering was not for the same reason. Jenna's breath hitched and she looked back at Steele, awaiting confirmation. Instead of looking her in the eyes, he had his head down and started to talk.

"Kaltag is... right.. Balto is.. is... gone. He tracked us down. I still don't know... *sniff* how he managed to do it..." At this point, tears had started to fall down Jenna's muzzle, leaving small droplets on the wood floor beneath her. Steele continued. "He just wanted to help us get the medicine... *sniff* and he got us back on the path home.. before... the ice... *sniff* and the cliff... *sniff* Steele was trying so hard to keep it together. _"Do not relent now. You are this close!"_ the voice cried out. Steele took a deep breath, and rose to meet Jenna's eyes.

"Jenna, I would not be here if it wasn't for Balto. His bravery and sacrifice will never be in vain -" Jenna slamming full force into him caused Steele to nearly lose his balance, but he quickly regained it. Jenna's body was convulsing as she finally broke, crying hard and whimpering into Steele's chest. _"YES! I TOLD YOU IT WOULD WORK!"_ the voice said to Steele. _"The rest is a breeze!" _Steele was surprised that this part of his plan had actually worked, and now the only thing he needed to do was to keep Jenna under his control until it was the right time. Steele nuzzled Jenna's back, trying to calm her down. "Jenna, look at me," he said. Jenna pulled back slightly to look at him. "Balto saved my life, as well as the others-" he nodded to his sled team behind him - "and he also saved the lives of the children, just like he wanted to do." Steele got close to her and whispered, "I made a promise to Balto that I would get the medicine back, and that I would change. For you..." Jenna started crying again, and buried her head in Steele's chest. This was not a time for words, he decided. When the time was right, he would talk to her, and then he would do _anything_ to make her his. After all, that was the main goal of his plan anyway. He just needed to play double agent with her for awhile.

Boris, Muk, and Luk left the boiler room shortly after to return to the trawler, no doubt to mourn their lost friend. Many of the other dogs had left as well, as their humans had children that were affected by the diphtheria outbreak, and they wanted to check up and see how they were doing now that the anti-toxin was there. This left Steele, Jenna, and the team alone. Steele needed to talk to his team, so he lovingly nudged Jenna out to go be with Rosy, promising her that he would go check on them as soon as he had rested up from the serum run. Jenna reluctantly agreed, and walked out into the early morning sunlight. Steele shut the door, and the started to laugh as he walked back into the room. His team was already trying to get comfortable for their much needed rest, and barely paid him any attention. "That... was... just.. BRILLIANT!" he cheered. "I'm proud of how you handled that back there, boys!" Kaltag was the only dog who looked up at Steele as he celebrated, and watched him as he walked back and forth through the room. He was angry at Steele, for many reasons, but was too tired to put more thought into it. He filled his mind with happy thoughts, like the fact that he was home, safe and sound. Alive. His human would be out of the hospital soon, and he could play with him again...

One by one, the dogs drifted to sleep, occasionally shifting themselves to be more comfortable. Steele's adrenaline finally calmed down, and he took his spot a few feet away from the boiler. He was surging with pride at his accomplishment. Time would be the only thing that kept him from Jenna now. Soon, she would be all his. _"I told you it would work, Steele."_ The voice in his head was right. Jenna's weakness was Balto, and she was playing right into his grasp. Within minutes, Steele succumbed to a dreamless slumber as the weight of the journey finally came crashing down on him.

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_Balto felt Steele tug at the silky orange scarf that was around his neck, loosening it's hold on him. Deep down, Balto knew what was about to happen, and for the first time in a very long time, he was scared. "Please, St-Steele," Balto sputtered, "Let's just take the medicine *cough* back and then we'll t-talk about this."_

_Steele grinned. "The medicine will be taken back. And we're done talking. For good."_

_Balto felt the scarf slide off his neck, and had the wind knocked out of him when Steele kicked him full force in the chest, sending him flying back. When Balto saw that the ground below him was now down at the bottom of the ravine, he let out a scream of fear, before he started plummeting down, watching as the sled team and an evil-looking Steele left his view behind the top of the cliff. Balto's mother had once told him that when his time came, his life would flash before his eyes. As he fell, a vision came up. Balto was in an abandoned animal den under a tree, most likely that of a coyote. He saw an arctic wolf- his mother- looking at him, a warm smile on her muzzle. "I love you Balto. I love you... So, so much, my son..." A single tear fell from her eye. She then took off running, leaving him to cry out to her to come back. No matter how hard he yelled, she didn't. All of a sudden, a gunshot rung out, and the vision disappeared. Then it came back, but it was different now. He was on a beach, the sun shining brightly on a summer day. He then saw a dog that looked like Jenna, running with several puppies in tow. The dog was a male, though, but he could've sworn it was Jenna at first. He then recognized that they were on the beach outside of Nome near his trawler. A grey husky was at the tail end behind the pups, cheering them on as they ran. That dog was no doubt a female, but he did not know who it was. He then saw several other dogs playing in the sand off to the side with more puppies, their laughter and joy could be heard from where he stood. He wanted to go find out who these dogs were. He was confused and wanted answers. _"This is the life,"_ a voice said from beside him. He turned and the air left his lungs when he saw Jenna standing there, looking out at all of the dogs, a content smile on her face. Before Balto could call out to her, the ground faded and he was falling. The warm air was replaced by bitter cold, and the serene beach became a blizzard. He then remembered that he was falling down a ravine. _"This is it,"_ Balto thought to himself. _"This is the end..."_ When he hit the ground, an unearthly amount of pain shot through his entire body, and he mentally tried to force himself to scream. But before he could get it out, he was consumed by the extreme cold, and he was immediately engulfed in darkness._

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**A/N: Holy crap, I had a blast writing this chapter. I cringed a bit writing the parts involving Steele and Jenna, but it turned out how I initially planned it to. (And I have to keep cringing b/c that's not the last time I'll have to do it -_-). Chapter 2 is already in the works, and it should be up within the next few days, so keep an eye out for it... Hopefully the suspense hasn't killed you yet from the prologue. Chapter 2 should help a bit... :) Also, thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I may not acknowledge them at all, but rest assured, I do read them!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The Awakening

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Darkness was everywhere. It was in all directions, and it was infinite. Somehow, a feeling of extreme cold was able to be perceived in this place. Was this real? Or was this a figment of imagination?

"It is a temporary reality, at least for you that is."

Balto's eyes shot open, and he inhaled as if he had never breathed before. He picked his head up from his prone position, and looked around to see if he could identify the source of the voice. There was nothing there. Only darkness. "Hello? Is-is anyone there?" he cautiously called out. When he did not get a response, he simple shut his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again, he gasped. He was now in a cave that was dimly lit by a light source that he could not see. Balto cautiously rose to his feet, and walked around the cave. The walls appeared jagged and rough, but when Balto lifted his paw to touch it, it was smooth. He was so engrossed by this phenomenon that he jumped when the voice spoke from somewhere behind him.

"My, you've grown up," the voice said again. Balto whipped around to see a grey husky standing at the mouth of the cave. The dog was rather large, and firm, toned muscles were visible under his thick coat of fur. He gracefully walked over and stood in front of Balto, meeting his eyes. Balto could not look away, and felt the gaze of the stranger pierce into his very soul. But, something was strange about this dog. It looked like an older version of himself. The transition of fur color on his underbelly and coat was the same as his own, but his fur was slightly darker. His eyes were not yellow, but he could easily be looking at himself for all he knew. He took a shaky breath, and was shocked at the scent he picked up from the dog in front of him. There was no mistaking that this scent belonged to his father. All of the pieces now came together, and it clicked in his head. Balto's breath hitched and his eyes went wide. The husky in front of him softly laughed, and a wide grin came onto his muzzle. "You have come so far, my son. You have become strong and wise. I'm so proud of you," the husky said. All of a sudden, Balto threw his head into his father's chest and started to sob uncontrollably. His father shed tears as well, and softly returned his son's embrace. Balto had known his father for only a short time before he died, and due to reasons unknown he was now standing right in front of him. The reunion of the two went without any words, for words could not mend the void that time had caused between them. Balto jumped back and blurted out inaudible sounds as he tried to voice his feelings and ask his father questions, for he had many. His father pulled him back into a gentle embrace, calming him down. "Relax, Balto. In due time, everything will make sense to you," he said. Balto had longed to see his father again, and now that he was there, he didn't want him to leave. Boris was a great father figure, but nothing beat having a _real_ father. "I missed you so much, dad..." Balto said, his voice nearly breaking. His father nuzzled him in response. "I missed you too, Balto. More than you'll ever know." The emotional reunion of father and son continued for several more minutes. Balto was finally able to compose himself, and then started asking questions. "What happened to you? Why did you leave me and mom?" His father gave him a sad, yet loving look. He wasn't sure Balto could handle the truth; it was still painful even for himself to think about. But, he took a chance to see how Balto would react.

"It was because of you, Balto," his father said. "I did exactly what I promised myself I'd do. I gave up my life to protect both of you," he said. Balto was stunned. "I don't understand!" Balto said, tears forming in his eyes again. Balto's father motioned Balto to sit down. He took a deep breath, pondering on where to begin. The only other person who knew the entire story about his past was his mate, Aniu. But, given the present circumstances, he decided that Balto should know, too. "Well, let me tell you my story then. Maybe it will help you to understand." Balto firmly nodded, and his father started to tell his story.

"Back when I was young, I was the lead dog on my sled team. I raced every year against several teams, and mine always won. We were local celebrities. Of course, me being the lead dog got me the most attention. I couldn't go anywhere without being swarmed by dogs and humans alike." His father chuckled, shifting his position on the ground to get more comfortable before continue the story. "Everything changed in the winter of 1921. I was racing, and we had a strong lead. On the last leg of my race, a fierce blizzard rolled in. It was completely unexpected, and I was not able to keep us on course. I tried my very best to get us to safety, but mother nature won me over, and we ended up going down a steep drop on the side of a mountain. To the best of my knowledge, I was the only one who survived." His father had his head down as he spoke. Balto was holding his breath up to this point. "Laying there in the snow, the pain was becoming unbearable. Right before I lost consciousness, I saw a white wolf approaching. At that point, I knew I was dead for sure. Incapacitated animals are easy food for the wolves. But then I blacked out." Balto was still attentively listening to the story, and was still holding his breath. His father continued. "When I came to some time later, I was in a cave, much like this one. I could not move, as my body was badly broken. I cried out in pain, and I was immediately tended to by my rescuer." His father stared into space as he told the next part. "It was the same wolf that I saw approaching me when I was on the ground, dying. But I was even more surprised to learn that this wolf was a friend, and a female. She assured me that I was safe where we were, and that I was badly injured. She had taken me in and was nursing me back to health." His father paused to allow Balto to ask questions. "So, you nearly died, and the wolf found you and rescued you? At what point did you two fall in love, and become mates? How did her pack feel about that?" Balto asked, knowing that this wolf was most likely his mother. His father sighed happily before responding. "Yes, she saved my life. According to her, I was out for a week before I came to. She never left my side during that time. That's where it started for us. When I was finally awake, we talked to each other. A lot. Somewhere along the line, she fell in love with me, and I with her. I was the mangled mess of a husky, and she was the loving and caring wolf who took care of me. It's a great love story, if you ask me. Eventually, we decided to become mates. It was not exactly an accepted practice in her pack for a wolf to be mates with a domesticated dog, but true love knows no limits, and that was the case with us." His father laughed softly, reminiscing about those times. Balto never knew how his parents met; only that they loved each other very much. It made him feel happy inside knowing how the two met and fell in love. He pressed for more of the story. "So, you and mom fell in love, and became mates. You said it wasn't an acceptable practice for wolves to be mates with dogs, but you never said how they reacted with you two." A concerned look appeared on his father's face.

"They never knew about us at first. We never told them. When I was healed up enough to travel, your mother smuggled me out of her pack's territory to a cave nearby. She would come and visit me on occasion. One such visit was a special one for sure, and I'll always remember it. Your mother came one night, and she told me that she was pregnant. She said that she told her pack that she needed some time to work through some 'personal' things, and that she would return soon. They agreed, and for the length of her pregnancy, she stayed with me. I took care of her, and after a couple of months, she gave birth to one amazing pup." Balto smiled at the reference to himself, a warm feeling filling his body. His father continued. "When you had grown enough to eat the game your mother and I hunted, she went back to the pack." His father paused, struggling to get words out. Balto noticed this and saw that his father was now on the brink on breaking down. He rose and went to nuzzle his father, afraid to ask why he felt the way he did. His father dug deep to finish the story. "They found out about us. We never did know how, but when the alpha confronted her about it, she told the truth. They were beyond mad that she had lied to them about her intentions of her 'trip.' She told them that her 'trip' was to visit me in secret. Not once did she tell them about you, out of fear for your life. They forced her to bring me before them, so that they could decide what to do about her severe lack of judgement, as they so kindly put it. She was able to sneak out and warn me beforehand, and we hid you. Once we were sure you were safe, she took me to face the music." Balto's father stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave, his back to Balto. He did not speak for several minutes, and a heavy feeling of sadness filled the room. Balto knew that something terrible had happened, and his fears were confirmed when his father spoke in a shaky voice.

"They gave me an ultimatum, Balto." his father said, sadness evident in his voice. "They told me that I could either leave, and they would kill her, or she could leave, and I would be killed." His father tried to hold back the tears forming in his eyes, but he couldn't. Balto was taken completely by surprise. His father, whom he considered to be the strongest and bravest dog in the world, had taken the easy way out instead of fighting back. "I didn't hesitate to put her life over mine. I sacrificed myself so that not only she would live, but you would as well. After all, you were a secret. If they had known about you, all three of us would have been killed. I'm sure of it." At that moment, Balto regretted his previous thought. He now understood why his father made that decision. He wanted to change the subject to something that wasn't as emotionally traumatizing as talking about your own death, so he inquired about where he was, and what was going on. "Where am I?" he asked. His father simply replied, "You are here, with me. In a temporary reality. Have you forgotten what happened to you?" Balto then tried to remember what happened, but he was unable to. His father, seeing his son thinking hard about a response, walked up to him and put his paw on Balto's forehead. Instantly, their eyes glowed, and everything around them morphed into a new place. They were now in a mountain ravine, and it was fiercely storming around them. The glow in Balto's eyes faded, and when he was able to comprehend what he was seeing around him, he was not expecting to see a body in the snow several feet away. He slowly approached, and when he got up to it, he nearly fainted when he realized that it was _his_ body. His eyes began to glow, and once again, he and his father were back in the cave. The shock of what he had just seen caused him to fall to his stomach, and he physically could not breathe. "Yes, that was you, Balto. Need I remind you how you came to be at the bottom of a ravine?" his father asked, silently hoping that his son was able to remember now. Balto was only able to reply with two words. _"I remember." _

"The worst feeling in the world for a parent is watching their child suffer," his father said. "It hurt watching you suffer on that cliff, Balto..." Balto could only lower his head in shame. _His father had seen that take place._ He could not imagine how it must've felt, watching him be beaten and then viciously sent to his death. He felt his father walk up next to him. "But, knowing that your pain and suffering would not be in vain made me feel a bit better." "What do you mean by that?" Balto questioned. He did not understand how anything good could come out of him being dead. His father turned to look him right in the eye, a serious look on his face. Balto gulped, and his father spoke.

"Your mother was widely known by her pack as a spiritual leader. In her pack, when a member sacrifices their life out of humility to save the life of another pack mate, it is recognized as one of the most honorable forms of love. That will _never_ go unnoticed. _Ever_. Even in death. I didn't know this until after your mother told me, when we were reunited together in the afterlife. I sacrificed my life for her, but as I have already said, I did it for you, too." His father then smiled at Balto, and he couldn't hold back a joyful laugh when responding to Balto's initial question. "You are not only a dog, Balto. Your blood is wolf blood too, and therefore, you are a wolf as well. By going to find that medicine for the people of Nome, you paid for it with your life. You paid the ultimate sacrifice for your pack mates- the human girl and her dog, in this case," his father explained. Balto didn't have to think twice about who those were. Rosy and Jenna were the only two people who matched that description. His father inhaled deeply, interrupting his happy thoughts.

"You died from that fall, Balto. You paid for your humble choice to save your pack mates with your life. However, due to your strong will, and your humble sacrifice, the great wolf spirit has allowed you to endure. It has allowed you to survive."

Balto's jaw dropped, and he stuttered trying to get out his response. "I'm no-not ddd-de-ddead?!" he managed to get out, his eyes going wide. "How is that even possible?! You saw how far down I fell!" His father simply hushed his son. "Under normal circumstances, you would be dead, and you'd be in the afterlife. But, this was... very simply put... a special case." Balto was confused now. "How?" he asked. His father gave him a mischievous smile. "The great wolf spirit made the final decision. It was a unanimous vote by the one party involved." He laughed. "Even though my vote didn't matter in the end, I'm happy that she considered my standing on it." Balto was now stumped. "What are you talking about? Why wouldn't your vote matter?" Balto's father embraced his son, and he was happy to give him his response.

"When you have a mate and pups someday, and God forbid something tragic happens, you wouldn't want to be on your mate's bad side at all_. _Why would I tell my own mate that I'd rather have you be dead than alive, especially when she's the one who is saving you?" Balto was now frozen, unable to do a thing. He was still trying to process everything he had just heard. "So, let me get this straight," he began. "Your mate, who is my _mother_, is the great wolf spirit? And she saved my life because I met the prerequisites of her pack's core beliefs?" His father matter of factually corrected him. "It is not just her pack, but all wolves in general believe that. But yes, she saved you because of what you did, more importantly _why_ you did it. When you see her, she will tell you more about this."

Balto perked up. "When can I see her?!" he asked, excitement reverberating from his body. His father frowned. "Unfortunately, your time here is nearly up. For now. You are not dead, after all, so you can't stay here." Balto got sad again. "So, when will I get to... you know... see you again, dad?" Balto's father gave him a loving smile. "When your time is finished. Oh Balto, please don't be sad." He walked up to Balto and nuzzled him along his cheek, his fur absorbing the fresh tears that had started to flow from his son's eyes. "Even though I am no longer alive in the mortal world, I am still a part of you. In _here_," he said, his paw over Balto's heart. "Your mother is the same way. She hasn't left you yet, and she never will. Nor will I." Balto could not have been happier at that moment. "So, why didn't mom come here, then?" His father simply said, "She was occupied elsewhere." Balto was now curious as to why his mother would rather be somewhere else than seeing her son. "What was more important than me, I wonder?" Balto asked jokingly. His father chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough."

The sound of heavy winds then interrupted the two dogs. His father turned to Balto. "Our time here is ending. I need to go." He began to walk to the entrance to the cave. Balto tried to follow him, but found that his body would not comply with what he wanted it to do. He was bound where he stood. "Dad!" Balto cried. "What's going to happen now?" His father turned slightly to face him. "I love you, son. Remember, I'll always be with you. Always." The last word echoed through the cave, and Balto began to feel very tired. He slowly collapsed to the ground, fighting the urge to give in to sleep. He watched as his father walked out into a gray mist, disappearing from sight. Balto had exhausted himself trying to stay awake, and so he simply gave in. Like a rushing wind, he was overtaken by sleep, and it felt wonderful to him. He felt like he hadn't slept in a lifetime.

And when his body was finally satisfied with the rest it had been given, his conscience allowed him to perceive things again, and the only thing he could feel was pain... Overwhelmingly, excruciating pain.

* * *

**A/N: *GASP* BALTO IS NOT DEAD?! I'm hoping that's how you reacted when you read this chapter. Yep, Balto lives. Let the suspense be gone... for now! I wanted to bring his father into the story for a couple reasons. One, it gave me a great time to introduce him as my OC (even though he's technically not an OC). I really couldn't think of a good name for him, so he remains nameless (for now). Secondly, I haven't managed to find a lot of fanfics that delve into the background on Balto's father, so I put a lot of effort into telling his backstory. I'm not very good at giving details, but I tried my best in that area. So I hope you enjoyed it. Anyway, hope you liked Chapter 2! Chapter 3 will probably not be up until this weekend, possibly not until the middle of next week. Busy with school, and that's my #1 priority right now. I have gotten some amazing reviews on this story so I have replied to them below.**

**whiteluke12: **I appreciate your review. Being able to have Steele fool Jenna was definitely something that I knew I had to get right, as Jenna is usually able to see Steele for what he truly is (in the movie anyway), so I'm glad that you liked how it turned out. As for the other dogs, I can't really say much about them because I don't want to spoil the story at all. But, rest assured, you won't be disappointed on how everything turns out!

**dax0042: **Thanks for the review! It was super easy writing about Steele. His character personality makes it really easy to make him evil. Just as I said to whiteluke12, I can't speak much about the other dogs without spoiling too much. But, hopefully you enjoy the turnout of it all!

**steelefan: **I appreciate the review! I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far, and that you are hooked this early on! Hopefully you enjoy the rest of it! This is my first non-one shot story, and encouraging reviews like yours goes a long way. It gets me pumped up, and makes me excited to write!

**JustASteveGut: **You made my day. I was hoping to see a review like that. Hopefully you feel that way for every chapter!

**WolfDragon: **It would have seemed that way, but Balto is alive! You'll have to wait to find out how everything ends up for Steele!

**Arika Koski: **Ultimately, no it will not be Steele X Jenna. I hate the idea of it too, but it's all part of the grand story, so you'll have to cringe along with me for now!


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Nightmares and Vengeance

Steele's eyes shot open and he scrambled to his feet, posed to counter the attack. He breathed hard, with a slight growl emanating from his throat. But as he slowly came to his senses, he realized that it was just a dream, and what had occurred was merely his conscience taunting him. And he was thankful it was not real. _"He's dead. Why would that dream be real?"_ he thought. He broke into a cold sweat, and shivered despite the warm temperatures in the boiler room. Once he had calmed down, he scanned the room to see who else had witnessed his awakening. He exhaled a sigh of relief when he saw that no dog had stirred from their sleep. After all, they had just run hundreds of miles in a few days time, and the chances of them being woken up by anything was next to none. Steele then turned his attention to the door. He could not see any light seeping in through the cracks, so it meant that it was either late at night or very early in the morning. "I've slept almost an entire day," he said to himself. Normally, he would be attending victory parties thrown in his honor, which happened at the end of each of his races. However, the circumstances of his most recent 'race' to bring the serum back would probably not end with a party right away until the dogs had recovered from their long journey. When the town would settle down from the diphtheria scare, they would no doubt reward their fearless canine hero for his bravery and selflessness to travel the great distance to and from Nenana. But, Steele was far from selfless. He made that journey for one reason, and one reason only.

Jenna.

As soon as the thought of her entered his mind, a selfish grin morphed onto his muzzle, and he thought of his last encounter with her. It was here, in the boiler room, when he and the team had finally returned. He had told her that Balto was dead, and that Balto's sacrifice was the reason they were even able to get back to Nome. Then, to his complete surprise, she bought it. And at long last, she finally broke, going to _him_ for comfort. Steele was still shocked that she fell for it, because Jenna was one of the smartest dogs he knew. But, just as was predicted, Jenna had a soft spot for Balto, and Steele exploited it and used it against her. _"Up for a bit of late night thinking, are we?"_ a voice said, interrupting Steele's thoughts. _"You could say that,"_ Steele responded, immediately recognizing the voice. _"So, now that you're all rested up, want to fill me in on what's next for you and the stunning husky I helped you out with?"_ the voice said. Steele laughed. _"You barely helped me at all. You have absolutely no idea how hard it was for me to keep a straight face when I was talking to her. If I had given her even one ounce of a sign that I was lying, I would've been torn to shreds. However, I do need to give you credit for putting me on track to winning her over. So thanks for that."_ He heard the voice chuckle in response. _"If I hadn't of reminded you about her weakness, you wouldn't be in this situation at all. So I deserve more than "Thanks for that." So, come on, what are you planning to do with her now that she's yours?"_ Steele got upset. _"Well, you see, we aren't mates yet, so she's technically not mine by official standards. But, I plan on making that change here very, very soon..."_ If the voice in Steele's head could be seen, he would have an evil grin slowly coming onto his face. _"I see... So, what do you have in mind?"_ it asked, eager to know more.

And so, for the rest of the night, Steele planned everything out in his head. He started with the next time he'd see Jenna. She would be at the hospital with her human girl, no doubt. For the time being, he needed to play the loving, sympathetic dog for Jenna's sake, so that she would trust him even more. Getting her human to trust him would be easy. Jenna would surely be interested in him more if that happened. And then, Steele would maybe start hinting in romance. A walk on the beach in the moonlight, or maybe a trip to the butcher's shop for a romantic dinner. Once he could swoon Jenna, then he'd go for the kill. But, he would have to play his cards right, because if he screwed this up, he'd have to resort to Plan B, which was, simply put, forceful and straight to the point. Either way, the outcome of each resulted in Jenna being his mate. However, he'd rather get there with as little trouble as possible. The entire time he sat there in the boiler room, a prideful laugh would escape him every now and then, and he would look around to see if it had woken up any of the dogs. Much to his relief every time it happened, it didn't. But, one thing that had evaded Steele's sight was the absence of one dog who was not present there. Hours prior to Steele awakening from his dream, Kaltag had woken up from one of his own, and he had slipped out the door into the cold night air, deciding a walk was the best thing to help him clear his head from his dream he had.

* * *

The sound of bustling boots on wood floor and doors opening and closing slowly drowned out the feeling of sleep from Jenna's body. The early morning light invaded through her closed eyelids, causing her to blink from the sensitivity. Jenna stifled a yawn, and opened her eyes. She was at the foot of a bed in the hospital. After realizing where she was, she immediately turned to look behind her, and was relieved to see her human, Rosy, sleeping peacefully. Since the onslaught of the sickness, Rosy spent her nights hacking her lungs out and trying to stay alive. Just the sight of her finally sleeping soundly made Jenna feel happy. She wanted to tell him-

And then her heart dropped, and tears started to form in her eyes. She couldn't share this wonderful moment with him. He was... dead. She remembered the day before, when she was in the boiler room with everyone. Steele and the team came in, and broke the terrible news. Jenna was heartbroken, and the only person who she could run to was Steele. As much as she hated him, she did not have anyone else to go to. Her humans would never understand. Maybe Rosy would to an extent. Other than that, Steele was the only one Jenna could run to now. After her brain had fully turned on after waking up, she then realized that she actually _did_ have someone else to go to. And those people would accept her any day of the week. Jenna quickly tended to Rosy and gave her a gentle nuzzle, to which she did not get a response. Rosy's slow breathing indicated that she was in a deep sleep, which Jenna was thankful for, as the last few nights were hard for her. She jumped off the bed and made her way out of the room to the hospital lobby. The doctor greeted her warmly, and after seeing Jenna motion to the door, he chuckled and opened it for her, watching as she exited and trotted off down the street. Jenna knew that Steele would come looking for her soon, so she needed to make her trip brief. Without paying much attention, Jenna found herself on the east side of town near the telegraph office. She stopped at the edge of the road, hesitating to keep going. She knew that going there would be painful for her, because that's where he lived. But, Jenna also knew that Boris was there too, and the two polar bears. And they could share the same feeling of grief that she was feeling. Pushing the fear out of her head, Jenna slowly began to walk out towards the beached trawler.

* * *

"Uncle Boris, can Luk and I go play in the water for a bit?"

Boris looked up at the polar bears, who sat there expecting to get the normal treatment for bothering him. But, Boris was in no mood to act like that now. He simply nodded, to which the polar bears yipped with laughter and took off running to the beach below. Boris chuckled, and then sighed before he went back to staring at the ragged blanket that he held in his wings. For many years, this was one of the only possessions that Balto had, and now that he was gone, it was the only thing Boris had left of him. It would surely be a warmth for him in the cold winter nights, especially with the absence of Balto.

"May I join you?"

Boris slowly turned to see Jenna sitting at the foot of the deck near the plank leading off of it, patiently waiting for an answer. He smiled warmly at her and lifted a wing to beckon her over. "Of course! Any friend of Balto is welcome here!" Jenna smiled in return and walked over to Boris, swiftly finding a comfortable position lying down next to him. She soon found herself looking at the blanket that Boris had, and before she could inquire about it, Boris spoke up. "This is all I have left of him. I knew that some day he would leave this world, but.. I didn't expect it to happen like this..." Jenna melted inside and leaned over to embrace Boris. He sniffled and brought a wing around her back, silently showing his appreciation to her. "I miss him, too. You, Muk, and Luk are the only things I have left of him," Jenna said. Boris looked up at her and smiled sadly. Jenna noticed this and nudged Boris with her muzzle. "Hey, what's wrong?" Boris sighed and spoke. "I wish I didn't have to tell you this... but... Balto loved you. Oh, did he love you. Ever since he first laid eyes on you, he was hooked. If only he could have told you that before..." Boris could not finish the sentence. Jenna was shocked at the revelation. She knew that Balto was interested in her, but did not know that it went to the point of love. But, Jenna put some thought into it, and she realized that Balto actually did love her. Rosy was definitely a huge part of it, more or less. He never had a family, and the fact that a human was a friend to him gave him a great reason to at least like her. And Jenna trusted Rosy with her life, and knew that she wouldn't allow another dog to harm her. So, it was only natural that Balto fell in love with Jenna. The entire time Jenna was pondering over things, Boris was watching her. Occasionally, she would smile. _"She's thinking about Balto,"_ he would say in his head. And then, a painful look of fear would appear on her face. _"Steele."_

Jenna eventually came back to reality. With a huff, she rose and was met with a suspicious voice questioning her. "And where do you think you're going so quickly?" Jenna turned to see Boris standing there, his wings crossed. Jenna focused intently on something else, keeping her peripheral vision on Boris to see his reaction to the answer. "I have to be back in town. Steele will be looking for me. He said he would check on Rosy after he got some rest. It's been a whole day since then, and I'm sure he's rested up by now." Boris waddled up to her and laid a wing on her back. "Look at me, Jenna," he said. Jenna turned to meet his eyes, and was not expecting to see the expression he had on his face. "Something is wrong with that dog. I beg you, for Balto's sake, please be careful around him. Balto taught me how to hide scents and tracks, should I ever need to do that, so if you ever want to be away from him, you will always be welcome here." Jenna had never thought of the negative aspect of being with Steele. Deep down, Boris' statement was an eye opener to her, and she felt strongly that she should heed his advice. "I will be careful. Steele made a promise to Balto that he would change. For me. I believe that he will uphold that, but I will still keep your words in mind." Jenna then bid her goodbyes to Boris and walked off the trawler. She slowly trudged along the snowy path that lead into town. Boris watched her as she went. He finally responded to her. "Some promises are honest ones, while the others are just simply lies. Be careful which ones you believe..."

* * *

The moon reflected the rays of sunlight down onto the snowy beach, coating everything in sight with a soft bluish hue. A gentle breeze that accompanied the tail end of the winter storm from the last few days was presently blowing, causing the already cold winter temperatures to drop even more. But, not even that was affecting a tan husky as he walked along the beach, trying to forget the horrific dream he had just had. Kaltag was sweating, despite the cold air biting at his skin. His mind was racing, trying to piece together a lot of things at once. Kaltag shut his eyes tightly, trying to calm himself down. But, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't. He stopped near a small sandbar that extended out into the ocean, and walked out onto it. Once he reached the edge, he collapsed, and began to sob. The weight of what occurred several days prior was bearing down hard on him, and he could no longer contain it. For reasons unknown to him, Kaltag felt extremely guilty for what had taken place that night. Even though he did not partake in anything and only stood by and watched, he felt partially at fault for it. And for good reason.

When Kaltag first met Steele, he was enthralled by him. He was brave, blunt, and firm, and no one ever second guessed him. But, after awhile, Kaltag realized that Steele used those qualities to take advantage of others and promote his own self-image. Everyone bought it. It started to make Kaltag angry inside, and no matter how hard he wanted to stand up to Steele and break away from him, he couldn't, because he was afraid of the consequences of it. You _never_ wanted to get on Steele's bad side. Fear was what held him back. Fast forward to Balto's time. Kaltag wanted to rip the heart out of Steele's chest for what he did. Balto was only trying to help, and Steele did what he does best: make himself the hero.. No matter the consequences. And so, since that night, guilt had been building up inside of Kaltag. He knew he could have done something to stop Steele, and if he had the guts to stand up against him, Balto may very well be alive. But he didn't, and so he blamed himself for what had happened. After some time, Kaltag's sobbing had reduced to the occasional sniffle, and he turned to look up at the moon. At that moment, he felt compelled to make a change. His adrenaline spiked, and a serious look came upon his face. "I failed once due to fear. Never... again... will I fear you, Steele.." he growled. "If I ever get the chance to avenge Balto, I won't hesitate this time." Suddenly, a soft gust of wind swept around Kaltag. Not thinking anything was out of the ordinary, he ignored it. But, his eyes went wide and ears shot straight up when a voice spoke from behind him.

"Well, now's your chance, friend. I have a task for you."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay in new chapters. I have been super busy. In addition to that, I am now going to be writing multiple parts to the story in a single chapter. For example, I covered multiple characters in this chapter, and for the most part, that's how it will be from here on out, hence why it takes longer to write them. I have all of the major plot points written up now, and I just need to connect them all together. As of right now, I have 8 chapters planned (not including an epilogue) so after the next one the story will be halfway done. Initially, I thought that this story would be shorter, but things change, and I like where it's going right now. I hope you enjoyed Ch. 3! Ch. 4 is in the works already, and will probably see a release within the next two weeks. As was with this one, my schedule is pretty full so I won't be working on it as much as I'd like. Well, that's about it. Catch you all later!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Twisting Emotions

Upon turning around to face the source of the voice, Kaltag was stunned at who stood before him. It was a husky, one that looked like someone he knew quite well... "B- Balto..? Is that you?!" he gasped. The husky chuckled and strode up in front of Kaltag. "Close. I can see why you thought I was him. There's an old saying that goes, 'Like Father, Like Son'... although that is more towards character and behavior, not physical appearance." Kaltag's brain processed the husky's words, and then a look of realization hit him. "You... Balto is... you're his... he's your-" "Yes. I am Balto's father," he interrupted, already knowing what Kaltag was trying to say. He studied the tan dog as he waited for a response. Kaltag was far from producing words from his mouth. He was busy still trying to understand what was going on, and how Balto's father had managed to find him out here. "So, are you up for my task, then?" the grey husky said. Kaltag looked up at him with a confused look on his face. "Are you serious? I don't even know what this 'task' is! Do you really expect me to agree to something without even knowing anything about it?" Balto's father laughed. "Not even two minutes ago, you said that you wanted to avenge my son. I heard you clear as day. Do you still feel that way?" Kaltag couldn't decide if he was embarrassed or pissed off at this guy. He witnessed him bawling his eyes out, and was eavesdropping on him, too?! Despite those things, Kaltag truly did still feel that way. He was tired of being a coward when it came to doing the right thing. He looked Balto's father dead in the eye and gave him his response.

"You heard my answer two minutes ago." Balto's father grinned. "I figured. Sit down, friend. What I have to say to you will take awhile, and will be a shock to you."

Kaltag sat down right where he stood. It wasn't very comfortable, but he didn't dare ask to go somewhere else to discuss this. Balto's father cut straight to the point. "The task I have for you will not be easy, but you are the only one who can do it. It is a chance for you to redeem yourself, and avenge my son." Kaltag gulped, his adrenaline rising in anticipation to the next words. Seconds passed, and a sad, gentle sigh was the only thing that preceded Balto's father before he started talking to Kaltag. He started off with the initial outbreak of diphtheria in Nome, and how Balto wanted nothing more than to help the ones he loved by getting the serum to the town. And then he started talking about the journey Balto had made, and the troubles of him tracking the team. When the part about the bear fight came up, Kaltag was very surprised to learn that Jenna of all dogs came to Balto's aid, and helped him get back on their trail. Kaltag knew very little about Jenna, except that she was by far one of the most beautiful dog in Nome, and without a mate. He felt bad for her in a way, as she was always having to deal with all of the dogs who tried to win her over. Balto's father interrupted his thoughts with the final part of the story. "And then, Balto found you. And Steele killed him. Or so he thought." Kaltag gasped, not believing what he had just heard. "What do you me-"

"Balto is alive, and you are going to rescue him and bring him back to Nome."

Balto. _Alive_! But, that was impossible. There was _no way_ he survived that fall... The image of Balto's crippled body at the bottom of the ravine filled Kaltag's vision, and he shook in grief. "There is no way that Balto survived that fall... I hate to be the one to tell you that," Kaltag said. A straight face was all Kaltag got in response. Balto's father then walked up to Kaltag and put his paw on his forehead, and everything around them morphed into the bottom of a ravine. Kaltag looked around, and gasped as he saw a white wolf standing next to... _"Balto.."_ Kaltag thought. That wolf had an easy meal. _"There's no way to save you now..."_ The built figure of Balto's father invaded Kaltag's peripheral vision and spoke urgently to the white wolf. "How is he, Aniu?" Kaltag's jaw dropped. _"This dog knows the wolf?!"_ The white wolf turned to look at where the voice came from. "He is stable, for now. Where is his rescuer? I can't keep him like this for much longer. He needs help from the humans," she replied. Kaltag could feel her voice reverberating through his chest. "He is preparing for the journey now. Keep watch over Balto, my love." The white wolf smiled sadly and turned to look back at Balto's motionless body. "Always."

"So, do you accept my task?" Kaltag turned to see Balto's father standing before him; the surroundings had changed quicker than he could perceive. They were now back on the moonlit beach. "I don't know where to find him!" Kaltag pleaded. "There's no way I'll get to him in time!" Kaltag sounded defeated, and for a moment, he hated it. At the one moment in his life that he could make a difference, he doubted himself. He was chosen for this, and he wanted to prove that he was capable. He fortified his stance, and spoke in a clear and serious tone to the grey husky near him. "Please, show me how to find him." Balto's father then walked up and touched his paw to Kaltag's head again. His voice filled Kaltag's head. "Though you alone have been chosen for this task, you cannot make this journey without help. I have summoned two others who will accompany you. They, like you, want redemption, but are too afraid to say it." Kaltag nodded, already understanding everything he was given by Balto's father. He looked around to thank the husky for guidance, but was surprised to not see him anymore. He nearly jumped when his voice spoke again. "Run fast, and don't stop. The great wolf spirit favors you, and you will not grow weary. Bring Balto home, Kaltag. And in time, fate will see his avenging."

Kaltag, not paying any attention, was nearly knocked off his feet by two furry animals as they collided with him. "Ooof! What the heck are you- Kaltag, are you alright? We came as fast as we could!" Nikki said. Star said something along those same lines, but it was muffled due to snow in his mouth. Kaltag wasted no time in answering. "Follow me. I'll explain later." Nikki and Star looked at him with confused looks on their faces. Kaltag sighed. "Just trust me, guys. Please..." The other two nodded, not wanting to argue with Kaltag. The three dogs then took off running along the snowy beach, the lead dog fueled by the quest to rescue his friend.

* * *

"Hey, girl! Come here!"

Jenna turned to the voice she recognized all too well. Rosy was finally able to be out of bed, and even though she was quarantined to her hospital room, Jenna was relieved that she was recovering at last. She quickly trotted over to Rosy, and welcomed her small arms around her neck as she fervently nuzzled her owner. "I love you, Jenna! I'm so glad you didn't get sick like me," Rosy said, pulling back to cup Jenna's furry cheeks in her small hands. Jenna leaned into one of her hands, and licked it. "I'm so glad you are ok, Rosy..." Jenna murmured. "I don't know what I'd do without you." She wished Rosy could understand her. And Jenna could have sworn that she did, because Rosy pulled her back into a fierce hug, almost as if she was saying, _"I'm okay, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." _Jenna felt Rosy pull away, and then she spoke again. "But, I have to thank you even more, because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you!" Jenna turned to see who Rosy was talking to, and gasped as she met Steele's piercing gaze. She winced, knowing that he was clearly checking her out, and he made no attempt to hide it. Steele yipped happily and accepted Rosy's embrace, his tail wagging behind his tall, muscular form. A few seconds later, Jenna felt Steele's presence next to her. "Walk with me, Jenna," he said. A chill went down her spine as he spoke. Jenna had two voices arguing in her head. One was telling her to look at Steele, to give in to him and go with him. And then the other was the little voice in her head that she first heard when she met Balto. It was the voice that told her to be his friend, even though she knew he was a hybrid who was not welcomed in Nome. But, she listened to that voice, and despite what people had told her, Balto turned out to be one of the nicest dogs she had ever met. That voice was telling her to get as far away from Steele as she could. _"But, he promised you that he would change. And you wouldn't give him a chance?"_ the first voice said. Jenna shut her eyes, willing the two voices to just shut up and leave her alone. After a few more seconds, she couldn't take it anymore. Rather than choose one option, she decided to appease both voices. "Ok," she replied. She would go with him for now, and then leave when she had a chance. The two dogs bid Rosy a final goodbye, and made their way out of the hospital and down the street. The two were silent as they walked. Jenna was a little curious as to where they were going, as Steele never actually told her.

"Where are we going, Steele?" Jenna asked. Steele responded politely, which made Jenna feel slightly more at ease. "Just for a walk around town. I figured you would want a nice, quiet walk after these past few days." Jenna could only respond with a 'thanks.' As they walked, he two received many looks and snarls from other dogs, some of them congratulating Steele on his 'catch.' Jenna paid close attention to Steele's reaction to these claims. He was surprisingly calm, and showed no response to them. However, Jenna was able to detect a bit of... a smile? _"Of course..."_ Jenna thought. She was with Steele. No wonder the other dogs were praising him. Steele on the other hand was very happy, for he seemed to be winning Jenna over more and more by the passing minute. "So, now that your human is getting better, what say we go and spend a day out on the west jetty next week," Steele said. "The other dogs say the weather is supposed to be decent, at least until the next storm that is..." _"ARE YOU INSANE? Asking her for a date ALREADY?"_ the voice spat at Steele. _"After a near traumatic event, you never try to take a girl out. Are you trying to lose her?!"_ Steele shot back. _"Shut up and let me handle this. I know what I'm doing!" _Steele pushed the voice out of his head, and focused again on Jenna, waiting for her answer. "If she feels up to it, it sounds like a good idea." Steele was overjoyed. He had to put in a great effort to hold himself back from smothering Jenna. He opted to at least try some from of physical contact, so he brushed himself against Jenna. She shuddered, but slightly leaned into it. _"I told you I knew what I was doing,"_ Steele thought to himself. _"I have to give you credit on that one. But be careful. I know you won't be able to hold back from her forever,"_ the voice replied. Steele softly chuckled, making sure Jenna didn't notice. _"Oh, don't worry. Very soon, I won't have to."_

The remainder of Jenna and Steele's walk was uneventful. Steele made several attempts to get as close as possible to Jenna, and eventually, she got annoyed with it. She stopped and made up an excuse about needing to go see Sylvie and Dixie, and bid Steele farewell. She thanked him for the walk, and told him they would finalize the plan to take Rosy out soon. Steele was pretty upset, but he was forced to comply with her. Right before she left, Steele made a daring move and nuzzled Jenna. She froze, not knowing how to react. Steele didn't wait for her to react, and simply walked off towards the boiler room. Jenna started walking off towards the hospital, the opposite direction of Steele, still stunned at his bold move. At the time, she didn't feel comfortable about it, but deep down, she liked it. "What am I thinking?" Jenna said out loud. She did admit she fancied Steele, but she was so used to his haughty attitude that she couldn't see anything happening between them, at least not for awhile. "Perhaps Steele really has changed," Jenna said, talking to herself again. The second little voice popped into her head as she walked. Three words echoed in her head: _"Don't. Trust. Steele."_ _"Bold words,"_ Jenna argued back. _"He made Balto a promise that he would change. Today, he took me on a nice walk, and wants to spend time with me and Rosy when she recovers. What's so wrong with that?"_ Jenna then felt defeated, and the voice responded. _"Some promises are honest ones, while the others are just simply lies. Be careful which ones you believe... Does that sound familiar?"_ Jenna had to think for a second, before she remembered. Her conversation earlier in the day with Boris. "_Yes. What about it?"_ All she got in response was a fleeting word, _"Lies."_ It was a word she had heard many times before, but this time, it struck a chord in her. She shivered, replaying Boris' words in her head, trying to figure out how 'lies' fit in to it. Rather than figure it out herself, she decided to go ask Boris directly. Even if he didn't know what it meant, he could at least offer some wisdom on it. She looked out toward the early afternoon sun, knowing she could easily make a trip to the trawler and back before sunset. With haste, Jenna started to make her way to the east, anxious to speak with the Russian goose about this strange feeling.

* * *

The other dogs knew who was about to enter the boiler room before they even laid eyes on him. The sound of laughter slowly increased in volume, before the door shot open, revealing a winded Steele, the occasional chuckle escaping him every now and then. Once he realized where he was, he stopped, and his usual tone and attitude returned. "Now what's got your spirits high today, Steele? It wouldn't happen to be the pretty husky Jenna, now would it?" Doc, an elderly Saint Bernard, said. Steele turned to answer him. "As a matter of fact, it would happen to be her. She agreed on a date with me," Steele said, sitting down to lick his paws. Doc walked up in front of him and sat down. "Well it's about time she went on a date with someone. I guessed you'd be the one she would choose. Balto would have been the next choice, no doubt. Unfortunately, he is out of the running." Steele started growling. "Don't bring him up," Steele spat. His eyes suddenly went wide, and then he put on a sad face. "It's still too painful to talk about him," he said, his voice wavering as he spoke. Doc nodded in understanding, and walked off to leave Steele to him thoughts. As soon as Doc was out of earshot, Steele exhaled the breath he had been holding. "That was close," he said. _"Damn right it was! You almost exposed yourself!"_ Steele rolled his eyes, not wanting to get into an argument right now. _"Well, I caught myself, and he bought it, so shut it and leave me alone,"_ Steele said. _"Pfft. Fine. Sorry that I'm the reason your life is so good right now."_ Steele sighed, and dropped his head down between his paws, trying to fall asleep. _"So, the jetty. Not a bad place to go for it. No one around to hear her if she fights back."_ Steele growled. _"She will NOT fight back. I have her emotions so far twisted right now that the only way it will have to end with me forcing her is if YOU screw it up!"_ And then, his head became silent, and he, for a split second, felt at peace. Sleep started to overtake him, and he took another breath before letting it consume everything around him, very last himself.

* * *

"KALTAG! Will you stop running for five minutes and PLEASE tell us where we are going?!" Nikki yelled, his voice fighting the roaring winds around them. Kaltag heard him clear as day, but did not slow down. Time was of the essence, and the words of Balto's father echoed in his head. _"Run fast, and don't stop."_ Kaltag intended to follow those directions. "Kaltag, please, we need to rest for a few minutes! Just stop!" Star said, clearly out of breath. Nikki's panting caused him to finally relent and slow down to a stop. "Fine. Five minute break. Then we keep going." Nikki and Star plopped down in the snow, breathing heavily. Kaltag turned to face the direction where they were heading. He knew they were at least another day out. Two if they stopped for rest, like right now. They left Nome and had been running for almost an entire day, non stop. Without a heavy sled and being limited by a harness, the three canines had managed to cover a lot of ground in that time. Kaltag heard footsteps and turned to see Nikki approach him. "So, where the heck are we going?" Star, not wanting to miss any part of the conversation, swiftly took to Nikki's side, awaiting Kaltag's response. "You weren't told? The grey husky didn't tell you?" His friends shook their heads. "Then why did you come out to the beach and find me?" he questioned. Nikki and Star exchanged glances with each other. "We were told you needed help against Steele on the beach, and we ran as fast as we could." Kaltag felt a little sick inside knowing that he was going to have to tell them where they were going. He was under the impression that Balto's father had already filled them in. His thoughts were interrupted by Nikki. "Kaltag, you are acting strange. Just tell us what is going on." Kaltag hunched over, trying to find the courage to tell them. "Why is it so hard to just say it?" he asked himself. "It isn't hard," he responded, trying to convince himself. "They trust you more than anything, and they will follow you until the end." Kaltag turned to meet the eyes of the other two dogs, anticipating an answer from him.

"He's alive... Balto is alive, and we are going to rescue him."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay between updates. I promise I have not abandoned this story, I just don't have a lot of time to work on it. For those who hate the prospect of Steele and Jenna being together, you will have to deal with it for another chapter or so. I cringe at the thought of it, and I have to write it, so yeah, I feel you. I also wanted to talk about the timeline of Kaltag, Nikki, and Star vs everything else, because I feel it may confuse people. Their parts are taking place prior to 'current' events. So for example, while Jenna and Steele are taking their walk, Kaltag, Nikki, and Star have already been making their way to save Balto. It's just not in chronological order, if that makes any sense. So, in other news, I have managed to consolidate the story down to one less chapter than I planned (without cutting anything out!), so we are nearing the end! I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. I have more free time coming up over the next couple weeks, so I should be able to knock out the rest of the story. And that's about it. Bye for now!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The Rescue

The rays of sunlight brought a warmth to Jenna's skin that she had not felt for a long time. She groggily picked her head up, and inhaled deeply before yawning soundly. When her blurry vision cleared up after her night of wonderful sleep, she remembered that she was in the hospital with Rosy, and that she was also snuggled up beside her on the hospital bed. Under normal circumstances, pets were not allowed on the beds at the hospital, but Jenna was an exception, as were all the other dogs who humans were here recovering from the diphtheria scare. In a way, they were medicine to the kids, and so the doctor and nurses temporarily lifted the rule. Jenna turned to see the small form of her human under several layers of blankets, breathing softly, and a look of complete content on her face. Jenna smiled, and leaned over to rest her head on Rosy's chest. She honed in on her heartbeat, and was pleasantly surprised to both hear and feel it beating strong and true, and with no signs of interference to her breathing. At last, the illness was not plaguing her any longer. Jenna started wagging her tail, and at that moment the door to the room opened to reveal the doctor entering with Rosy's parents.

"Good morning, Jen!" Rosy's father said, reaching down to scratch Jenna behind the ears as he reached the bedside. Jenna barked a reply back, happy to see them. The doctor opened up a cabinet near the bed, and pulled out some medical tools. He turned to Rosy's mother. "I hate to ask you of this, but please wake Rosy up. I need to check on her vitals and see how she is." Rosy's mother nodded and began her task. Rosy's father, in a hopeful voice, asked, "When can she come home, doctor?" The doctor, having finished setting up his tools, replied, "If everything checks out fine, I see no reason why she can't go home today." At this, Jenna perked up. _"She gets to go home!"_ she thought, excitement coursing throughout her body. Jenna furiously wagging her tail and the commotion in the room had woken Rosy from her sleep. "Good morning, Rosy! How are you feeling?" her mother asked. Rosy smiled when she saw Jenna, and pulled her up into a hug, eliciting a fury of licking from the husky. "I'm doing great, mom! Oh, Jenna! I really really love you, but please! Too many kisses!" Rosy's laughter reverberated throughout the room, causing the three adults to smile in response. The doctor managed to check Rosy's condition in between the laughter. To the delight of Rosy, her parents, and even Jenna, Rosy was healthy enough to go home. "Make sure you keep an eye on her over the next few weeks. We have another winter storm in the forecast. If she gets sick or displays symptoms of diphtheria again, please bring her back immediately. We have another shipment of anti-toxin coming in later this week, in the event of a relapse." The doctor cleaned up his tools and shook Rosy's father's hand, gave Rosy's mother a hug, and then left the room. Rosy was busy preparing to go outside for the first time in almost two weeks. Jenna was glued to her side as she put on her coat and boots. "Don't forget this, sweety!" Rosy's mother said, putting the tan mushers hat on Rosy's head. "Thanks mom!" Rosy then turned to Jenna. "All right girl, lets go back home and go mushing!" Jenna barked happily in reply, and followed her humans out of the room, and then out into the chilly winter air. "Rosy, for the next few days, let's try to stay inside so you don't get sick again. Your body is still fighting off the infection, even though you may not feel sick at all." Rosy frowned. "But mom, I wanted to go mushing with Jenna... After all, we haven't gone since the big race." Her mother knelt down and pulled Rosy into a hug. "I know, Rosy, but if you wait just a few more days, you can go mushing with Jenna as much as you want." She then got up close to Rosy's ear, and whispered, "Maybe Balto will go with you, too!"

At the subtle mention of Balto, both Rosy and Jenna turned to look at her. Rosy got excited. "Oh, boy! I'd love that! Balto would, too! Isn't that right, Jenna?" Jenna tried to put on a brave face. It worked, but behind it was pain and grieving. If only they knew how she had felt at that moment. They did not know that Balto was dead, and they would likely never know. Jenna forced a smile and nuzzled Rosy's cheek. "Balto would have loved it, Rosy..." Jenna said sadly. "I know he would have loved it..." Rosy gave her mother a fierce toddler hug in response. "Ok mom! I'll wait until I get better to play with Jenna and Balto. Speaking of Balto... where is he? I haven't seen him since I got better." Rosy's mother rose back up to a standing position, and took her daughter's hand and began walking down the street. "He's around her somewhere, darling. He is probably waiting for you to get better, so he can come see you!" Content with the answer, Rosy and her mother were soon joined by Rosy's father as they made their way to their home. Jenna moved off the street and sat under an outing from a local business.

"Oh, Jenna... I was just coming to look for you. Is the trip out to the jetty still something you want to do? Rosy looks like she could use a relaxing trip out there."

Jenna looked up to see Steele sitting there, staring at her. Jenna dropped her head again. "She is still not out of the weather yet. It will probably be another few days before she is healthy enough for a trip like that." The jetty was only a half mile west of Nome, but Jenna didn't want her girl getting sick again. "I agree. Smart decision, Jenna." Steele walked up and nuzzled Jenna, and sat down beside her. "If you're still up for it, let's go out there and watch the sunset tonight." Jenna liked that, and agreed. Even if Rosy was not there, she could at least enjoy a nice view. She turned to ask Steele when and where they would meet, but was surprised to not see him next to her anymore. She looked both ways down the road to see if she could spot him, but she did not see him. Jenna rose and trotted down the street to catch up to Rosy and her parents.

As the day progressed, Jenna was preparing for her date at the jetty with Steele. She wanted to look her best. Jenna knew she wouldn't have to doll up for Steele, because there was no use wasting time making herself look pretty. It was no secret to anyone that Jenna was the most beautiful dog in Nome, and she could be a mangy mess like Balto and chances are she would still be desired. Jenna couldn't help but think what Balto would have thought about her. She concluded that he would have thought that she was beautiful. It was so obvious to her that Balto liked her, even back when they first met. They had never actually talked much, save for a few awkward conversations over the past year or so. She would sometimes catch him staring at her when he was in town on his daily food run, or more recently, when she ventured off to find him and help him fight the bear. Whenever their eyes met, Balto's quickly shot away, and he sulked into the shadows, clearly distressed. Jenna didn't understand why he was afraid, but after she gave it some thought, she decided to try something. The next time she saw Balto in town, she approached him and struck up a conversation. As she anticipated, Balto didn't run off, but rather stayed and talked to her. She discreetly paid close attention to him as they talked, and she knew without a doubt he was smitten with her. It all made perfect sense now. _Balto liked her._ He would walk off because he was afraid of how she would react to it.

"Any sign of Nikki, Kaltag, and Star?" Steele asked as he strolled into the boiler room. The few dogs that were there could only shrug in response. Steele, not getting a verbal reply like he wanted, simply told them, "Where the heck are they? How can they just disappear like that without telling me?" he said, clearly upset. _Nothing_ ever happened in this town without him knowing, _especially_ when it involved his own sled team. Without another word, Steele then turned and walked out into the first stages of a setting sun. The fact that his three loyal companions had been missing for almost two weeks made Steele a little uneasy. They vanished without a trace. Rather than put more worry about it into his mind, he instead played out the night ahead. Tonight, he would make Jenna his. Regardless of how it played out, Jenna would be his mate before the night was over. _"So, what completely normal and not suspicious-at-all plan are we going with tonight?"_ a voice said to Steele. It was one he knew all too well. He chuckled. _"Plan A is she willingly agrees to be my mate, and no harm comes to her, or her human. Plan B is definitely not something I want to do, because then the whole thing blows up in my face."_ An evil laugh caused Steele to snicker back. _"But, to satisfy both of our sadistic natures, she will regret every single time she rejected me... every single time she embarrassed me..."_ A low growl slowly increased as Steele muttered, _"Every single time she defended that pathetic waste of life Balto..."_ The voice coaxed more from him. _"And...?"_

Steele smiled. _"Nobody will be there to protect her from me. She will be mine."_

* * *

Jenna sat patiently out in front of her house, frequently glancing up and down the road. She would have thought that Steele, being a 'changed dog', would not make her wait. It was ten minutes more before Steele walked around a corner and into Jenna's view. Internally, Jenna scoffed at him. His hubris walk and appearance made her feel sick. She tossed it to the back of her mind, before walking out to meet him. "Hi, Jenna," Steele said. He motioned for her to walk with him, and they made their way through town towards the jetty.

"So, what took you so long?" Jenna asked. Steele gave her an uneasy smile. "I was trying to figure out if anyone had heard from Nikki, Kaltag, and Star," he replied. Jenna then remembered that the three dogs had indeed gone missing. "Any word on them?" she asked, trying to sound hopeful. Steele simply shook his head. "No, nothing. It's not like them to disappear like that. I feel something suspicious is going on." He turned to see Jenna looking ahead worriedly. He nuzzled her. "Don't worry, I will get to the bottom of it."

The half-mile walk took longer than Jenna had expected, but finally, the salty breeze become prominent as the two reached the rocky outcrop into the ocean that was the jetty. The view was truly beautiful that evening. There were no clouds in the sky, which made the setting sun look even better. The two dogs made their way out, the ocean mist showering them as they walked. It wasn't long before they reached the end of the jetty. Jenna simply sat and watched the setting sun. She truly did wish Rosy was able to see this. It was a magnificent sight to say the least. Meanwhile, Steele paced behind her, waiting for his moment. He knew what he wanted to say, but was trying to build up the courage to do it. _"I never imagined that Steele, the hero of Nome, would be scared to talk to a... giiirrrllllll,"_ a voice mockingly said. Steele growled, careful to keep it out of Jenna's earshot. _"I am NOT afraid. I'm anxious. I want her to be mine so bad..."_ Steele started to breathe faster. _"Well then, go get her. What's stopping you?"_ the voice said. Steele took a breath and approached Jenna. He stopped right behind her and called her name. She whipped around, having been lost in the beauty of the sunset. Steele practically melted at how beautiful she was with the yellows, oranges, pinks, purples, and blues bursting from the horizon behind her. This gave him a kick of confidence that he needed.

"Jenna, we have been going on these dates for the past few weeks, and I have been meaning to ask you this..." Jenna's eyes went wide. _"He's going to ask me. Oh my gosh, no he isn't! He wouldn't..."_ Her mind was racing, and heart pounding so fast and loud that she thought it would explode out of her chest. Steele gulped. "Jenna, I love you. I have no doubt in my mind that I want you to be my mate. You will rear the greatest dogs that Nome will ever know, and there is no other dog that deserves this right than you..." On the one hand, Jenna was flattered. Steele, wanted _her_ to be his mate. There were dogs who would kill to be told that. But on the other hand, Jenna caught one word that she did not like: _Right_. Having a mate was not a right by any means. It was a privilege. Jenna figured Steele would upsell himself to her. It was part of his character, and so she was not surprised at all. "Jenna, are you ok?" Steele's question was a slap in the face, bringing her back to reality. He was dangerously close now, his breath tingling the fur around her neck. Jenna wanted to step back, but the only thing behind her was a drop off into the ocean. Tears started forming in her eyes, and she desperately tried to force him back. "Back off, Steele. This is making me uncomfortable." But Steele only laughed in response. "Uncomfortable? If you think that this is uncomfortable, then you're in for a wild surprise." Jenna shivered as Steele nuzzled her. "So, what do you say, my dear? Will you agree to be mine?" Jenna was now racking with sobs. She was cornered and had nowhere to run. With every passing second, Steele pressed closer and closer to her. She was paralyzed with fear, and no matter how hard she tried to scream for help, her body would not comply. Jenna knew that if she didn't act quick, she would not be able to hold Steele back. She did not expect this date to go like this at all. As Steele continued to force himself at her, she seized an opportunity to snap at him.

Steele most definitely did not expect it. A searing pain shot through his leg as Jenna sunk her teeth into it. Steele stepped back in response, and Jenna took advantage of him being stunned to make her escape. She whipped past Steele and ran as fast as she could down the jetty. It only took a few steps for her injured paw to flare up in pain; it had still not fully healed since the battle with the bear some weeks ago. Even though her pace had slowed drastically, she was still able to run faster than Steele, who was limping on three legs. "GET BACK HERE! I AM NOT FINISHED WITH YOU, JENNA!" he screamed. "YOU ARE MINE!" Jenna did not stop, even as her paw started throbbing in pain. She reached the start of the jetty rocks and, upon contacting the beach, was relieved that the sand was not as hard on her paw as the rocks were. She was able to put more of a gap on Steele, who was still screaming incoherently behind her. Jenna now had to think of a place to hide. She knew Steele would be after her, so she tried to think of a place to go. Her first thought was the tunnels under the hospital, where Balto first showed her the Northern lights. But she then remembered that Steele caught them coming out of there, so he knew about it. The boiler room and her own house were off limits. Maybe Balto's trawler? Her adrenaline spiked. _The trawler. Boris said he would help her if she needed it_. And hell... she definitely needed it right now. Jenna made sure to cross her trail as she ran through Nome. She needed to throw Steele off to buy Boris time to cover her up. After a few minutes of running around in circles, she took off out to the east, silently praying that Boris was there to help her. Fear spread through her as she thought of what would happen if he wasn't. Steele would eventually find her, and if he did, she didn't stand a chance. "Please, let him be there," Jenna said, digging deep to make it to her only hope.

Back in Nome, Steele was hot on Jenna's scent. His chest was burning from running and his injured leg felt like it was on fire. "I am going to rip her to shreds when I find her," Steele spat. _"I wouldn't want to do that to the mother of my children, Steele,"_ the voice said to him. _"If you kill her, she won't bear your pups."_ Steele growled. _"I don't give a damn. She should have given in when she had the chance. She is going to pay for what she did to me."_ Her scent grew stronger as he ran, and he knew he was closing in. But suddenly, it faded. He skidded to a stop, raising his nose to the air to catch it again. He got a whiff of it, and took off. But again, it faded as he thought he was close. Steele yelled out, becoming enraged. He tried to find it again, but he couldn't. "I will find you, Jenna... and when I do, you are going to wish you didn't exist..." Defeated, Steele limped off towards the boiler room, the desire to enact revenge on Jenna growing like a wildfire with each passing second.

* * *

_**A week and a half earlier...**_

It seemed that mother nature was against the trio of dogs as they raced to save Balto. They were battling ferocious winds, blinding snow, and brutal cold temperatures. But, Kaltag, Nikki, and Star pushed on. They all had the same drive now - Rescue Balto. At first, Kaltag's two companions were skeptical that Balto was indeed alive. But, Kaltag begged them to believe him. The fact that they had followed him this far supported his cause even more. He pleaded with them, that if he was wrong, they could decide his fate. And so now the three found themselves closing in on a valley on the side of a mountain. Three days ago, in the middle of the night, they set out to find the hybrid canine that had somehow survived. Now, they were closing in on his location. Kaltag could feel that they were close. He picked up his pace; the other dogs matching his speed with haste. Just as he was told by Balto's father, they did not grow tired running here. Exhausted, yes. But not enough to stop them. Soon, the valley started to narrow, and the soft inclines on the sides started becoming more prominent cliff edges. Kaltag kept running, but stopped abruptly, causing Nikki and Star to run into him. With muffled cries of pain, the three of them tumbled to a stop in a quiet opening near the entrance to a cave. "Ow! Kaltag, that hurt! You could have at least warned us you were about to stop!" Nikki went to chew Kaltag out again, until he caught Kaltag's train of sight into the cave. He gasped. A second gasp followed as Star caught on to what was going on.

There, about twenty feet or so inside the small cave, was Balto. The three rushed in, their hearts racing in their chests. Kaltag froze and looked at Balto's chest, praying that they were not too late. He was relieved to see it slowly rising and falling, an indicator that he was still alive. "He's alive!" he cried. Nikki and Star were stunned. "How did.. he survive?!" Star asked, stumbling over his words. Kaltag paced quickly through the cave. "It doesn't matter. We need to get him out of here and back to Nome. Nikki, how does he look? Do you think he could make the trip back?" Nikki took a few seconds to look over Balto. He took a shaky breath and turned to reply to Kaltag. "He's hurt. Badly. He won't be walking anytime soon." Kaltag frowned. He wished that they had brought something they could drag him back to Nome on, like a sled or piece of wood. Suddenly, his eyes went wide and he smiled. _Wood... a branch!_ They could get a branch and drag him back on that! Kaltag ordered Nikki and Star to prepare to leave at once. He ran a few hundred yards back in the direction they came to a small cluster of trees. Kaltag prowled around them, trying to find something suitable for the load they needed to carry. He finally found one, on the ground of all places, that would do the trick. A few minutes later, he trotted back into the cave, and positioned the branch so they could load Balto up on it. "What if we hurt him?" Star asked. Nikki echoed the same concern. "Yeah, how are we going to drag him back all the way without hurting him more?" Kaltag contemplated their words, and then he got an idea. "Nikki, you grab that part of the branch." The chow chow obliged. "And Star, you grab there." Star grabbed the part in his mouth. Kaltag then grabbed the remaining part, and through a muffled voice, said, "Ok, lift up." The three dogs lifted, and then Nikki and Star caught on to how it was going to work. They held the branch in such a way that Balto would lie in it, like a human baby would in a cradle, and they would carry him instead of dragging him.

It took the utmost care and precision, but Kaltag, Nikki, and Star managed to get Balto onto the branch. Fortunately for them, he had lost some weight after being out here for the time that he was, and he was very light. However, he was also very badly injured, and so they needed to make sure they didn't hurt him even more. The three dogs took their positions around the branch, before grabbing it and lifting up to get a feel for how heavy it was. The load was evenly dispersed among the three of them, and each dog felt confident they could hold a steady run without jostling Balto too much. Kaltag motioned for them to release the branch, and so they slowly brought it to rest on the ground. He turned to face Nikki and Star. "Ok guys, we should leave. We won't have the ability to run as fast as before, so we are going to have a long trip back to Nome." Nikki and Star nodded. "Kaltag, do you think Balto will survive this? I mean, after what happened to him?" Kaltag turned to Nikki. "I don't know, man. He looks pretty bad. But, the faster we get him back to Nome, the sooner he gets the help that he needs."

With a newfound hope for their friend, Kaltag, Nikki, and Star once more took their positions around Balto. They lifted up the branch, which inadvertently caused Balto to moan in pain. Kaltag shut his eyes, willing himself not to lose it. When they re-opened, a raging fire was burning in his eyes. Balto's pain felt like his own. One thing was for sure... Kaltag was going to make sure Balto lived, even if it meant that he didn't. Kaltag barked, and the three dogs trotted out of the cave, and out into the winter night. As the rescue team made their way back from where they came, a white wolf and a grey husky stood on a clifftop above, keeping watch as they grew smaller in the distance.

_"You were right, my love. He truly was the right choice. He will stop at nothing to save our son." The grey husky nuzzled up to his mate, smiling. "Balto will go on to live a full life, one that he deserves more than anything." The white wolf turned to her mate. "If only we were as fortunate as he is," she said. The grey husky could only stare out into the night. "I don't consider our fates to be unfortunate, Aniu. But in a way, you are right. We deserved better." He turned to look at her before a warm smile came upon his face. "But, that is the past, and we cannot change that. So, let us put our focus to the present, so that the future... Balto's future... does not end the same way ours did."_

* * *

**A/N: Longest chapter of the story so far. Hope you enjoyed it! We are now only two chapters away from the end! I had planned to get this chapter (5) out sooner, but I found myself wanting to add more to it as I went. I tried to be more descriptive with everything, which is primarily what led to this chapter being so long. I am currently working on Chapter 6, and should have that out within the next couple weeks, followed by Chapter 7 sometime after. As we are nearing the end of the story, I want to thank everyone who has read it so far, and even those who have reviewed. This is my first actual story, and I am super glad that so many people are enjoying it. I am working very hard to make the rest of this story keep you wanting more up until the very end. Well, see y'all in Chapter 6!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Revelation

In the fading light, Jenna fought back a steadily increasing pain in her injured paw to get to the landlocked trawler, hoping Boris was around. She kept looking behind her to make sure that Steele was not following. It relieved her every time to not see him, or anyone for that matter. Eventually, she felt safe enough to slow herself down to prevent further damage to her paw. At the top of a snow bank, Jenna stopped to catch her breath, and caught sight of the trawler in the distance. She smiled when she saw the hazy figures of Muk and Luk playing on the beach near the boat. "Boris..." she whispered. Jenna rose to continue on. But, just as she was about to step forward off of the snow bank, a sharp pain shot through her paw, and radiated up her leg to her shoulder. She gasped in pain, and immediately took weight off of it. _"Crap..."_ Jenna thought. She wouldn't be walking on that leg anytime soon. Fear struck her again, and she turned around to check for Steele. When she did not see him, she then limped off back towards the trawler. As she approached, she silently hoped that Muk and Luk would see her and notice something was wrong. But the two polar bears' playing led them further away from the boat. "Wonderful," Jenna said. "Oh Boris.. I hope you are there..." Despite being limited to three legs, Jenna made it to the ramp that led up onto the ship. She hurriedly ran up it, jumping the final step and sliding onto the deck.

"Boris! Boris! Where are you?! I need your help!" Jenna cried. She frantically limped across the deck, her nose actively trying to pick up his scent. When she finally caught it, the blunt thud of goose feet on wood caused her to whip around to see Boris stumbling out of the cabin. He was rubbing his eyes, indicating that he was just asleep and had woken up. "What? What is all this rattle?! Boris said in a grumpy voice. "I told you two idiot balls of fluff to keep it down-" Boris stopped talking when he saw that it was Jenna, and not Muk and Luk as he had originally thought. "Jenna? Is that you? Oh.. my.. what happened to you?" The rust and cream colored husky had wet fur on her muzzle from crying, and her injured paw tucked up by her chest. In an instant, Boris was awake and alert, and rushed over to her. "What happened?" he asked sternly. Jenna started sobbing uncontrollably as she told him everything. Boris comforted her by hugging her with one wing, and softly patting her head with the other. When Jenna got to the point where Steele advanced on her, Boris jumped up. "HE DID WHAT TO YOU?!" he yelled, thrashing his wings in anger. This caused Jenna to cry even harder. Boris was beyond mad now. Steele was up to no good, and he took things a step too far. "Jenna, I'm sorry this happened to you..." Boris said, his rage episode subsiding. Jenna sniffled several times before asking Boris to do the one thing she came here to ask him to do. "Please... *sniff* Don't let him find me *sniff* here..." Boris wasted no more time talking. He knew what he needed to do. He nodded, and took off flying low to the ground towards Nome. As he flew, the burst of air from the vertical thrust of his wings easily cleared Jenna's tracks in the snow. But much to Boris' surprise, the wind was on his side, blowing to the east. Jenna's scent would blow out of town fairly quickly, and Steele would not know where it went. "This is the one time I really wish this weather would stay the way it is," Boris muttered. Within minutes, Boris had reached the edge of Nome. Confident that he covered Jenna's tracks, he turned back, scanning the plains as he went for anything he missed. As he was about to make his final approach to the trawler's deck, he spotted three animals limping along. At first, he thought they were wolves carrying prey, as they each had something in their mouth. But, he soon recognized them to be Kaltag, Nikki, and Star, and they had a branch with something, or someone, in it. He turned sharply to meet up with them, not knowing what was in store for him when he got there.

Back at the trawler, Jenna was sitting in the cabin battling the throbbing pain in her leg. She licked it in an attempt to soothe it, but the injury was internal, and it did no good. She shut her eyes, and tried to clear her head. Everything that had happened in the last half an hour was overwhelming her, and her leg wasn't helping at all. Steele tried to take advantage of her, and she shivered at the thought of what would have happened if she hadn't escaped him. Boris was right about Steele. Something was wrong with him, and she let him take advantage of her trust. "How could I be so stupid?!" Jenna spat at herself. "I should have known that he would try something like that! Does he actually care about my genuine well being at all? _"Of course he does,"_ a voice said in her head. The same voice that convinced her to trust Steele from the start._ "He promised Balto, remember?"_ Jenna got mad. _" Oh yeah?! Well he broke his promise tonight. You clearly don't do what he tried to do if you promise to take care of someone!" _"Steele never made you a promise, Jenna," a voice said, interrupting her argument. Jenna sat up in a rush, not happy to have been interrupted at that moment. She was speechless when she found herself looking at a pure white wolf standing at the doorway to the cabin. The wolf approached her, and sat down. Jenna didn't dare to do anything, but was relieved by the words that the wolf spoke to her. "I am Aniu, the great wolf spirit. I have come to bring you a message. A revelation. Release your fear, my child, for I am a friend." Seconds passed as Jenna tried to think of something to say. Aniu turned to look out the door. Jenna wondered what she was looking at. Before she could inquire about it, Aniu turned back to her. "Do you wish to know why I am here, child?" she asked. Jenna nodded slowly, trying not to sound to eager. If the great wolf spirit came to visit her, it must be a big deal, because she was a dog, and not a wolf.

"The reason why I am here is to tell you that my son, Balto, is alive, and has been rescued."

Jenna gasped, and nearly fainted. There was no way he survived. Steele and the team got back several weeks ago, and Balto would not be able to survive out there based on how Steele described his unfortunate death. "Balto's death was no accident, Jenna," Aniu said, reading her thoughts. She reached a paw out to touch Jenna's forehead, and suddenly, Jenna was at the bottom of a ravine. She battled the fierce winds around her to see her surroundings. Suddenly, a scream rang out, and Jenna looked up to see someone flying off the cliff above. Her heart stopped when she recognized that it was Balto, and she tried to jump under him to catch him. But she could not move, and was forced to watch Balto as he fell to the bottom. Right before he hit the ground, Jenna was back in the trawler's cabin, breathing extremely heavily over what she had just seen. "My son was murdered, Jenna. As I said before, his death was no accident." Jenna looked up at Aniu, tears streaming down her eyes. "But death held no claim on him, and he survived that fall." Aniu walked back to the entrance to the trawler. Sobs began taking over Jenna's body, and she was barely able to speak. But she managed to get out several words. "Who.. how...?" she croaked. Aniu sighed sadly, and once again put a paw on her forehead. This time, Jenna was in a clearing, and saw the missing dog sled team. But what really caught her attention was the clumps of grey fur, and a mix of blood and snow leading straight to the edge of the cliff, where Steele and Balto were. When she finally realized what had happened there, Steele slipped the bandanna off of Balto's neck and spun around, delivering a hard kick to Balto's chest. She watched in horror as he was sent over the edge. The same scream rang out from her vision before, and Jenna shut her eyes, begging Aniu to make the vision stop. Not wanting to cause anymore distress to Jenna, she obliged, and in an instant they were back in the cabin. Jenna tried desperately to hold back the full on crying she wanted to give in to. Aniu sat next to her, once again reading her thoughts. "Yes, Steele was the one who did this. And I know you don't want to believe it, but the truth will soon be revealed to you, and you will then see what I tell you is true." Jenna knew that a fall like that would cause major injuries, and immediately asked how Balto would have gotten back if he was next to death. A vision briefly popped up, with Nikki, Kaltag, and Star carefully carrying a branch with Balto nestled in it. And then Boris appeared in the picture, frantically flying away from them. Jenna watched on as the trio carried Balto to the old sawmill on the east edge of Nome. Suddenly, she was brought back to reality by the impact of a goose. With a loud thud, Boris crashed into Jenna and hit the deck, sending them both tumbling a few feet. Boris was breathing hard, and he lifted his wing up to tell Jenna something. "Jenna, come quick! He is alive..." Jenna looked around, expecting to see Aniu giving her the 'I told you so' look. But she was gone. Vanished into thin air. Jenna got up to make her way to the sawmill, but completely forgot that her leg was injured. As soon as she put pressure on it, it felt like someone had thrust a knife vertically through her leg. "Owww!" Jenna growled. She quickly lifted her leg back up, and flinched as the pain resonated through her body before it slowly began to fade away. Jenna then started again, being careful not to use her injured leg. She couldn't move very fast, but her adrenaline was high enough that she could hold her pace with no issues, and so she began making her way to the sawmill. If Balto truly was alive, she wanted to see him. No.. _Needed_ to see him. She needed to hear his voice telling her that everything will be alright...

* * *

"Put him over in this corner!" Kaltag breathed. His jaw was in pain from holding the branch up for so long. But, they had finally gotten back into town after a very long journey. Kaltag made a last minute decision to bring Balto to the sawmill, because there would likely be no dogs or humans there. During the winter months, all logging operations were shut down, so the sawmill was practically abandoned until the warmer months of the year. With a last burst of energy, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star softly brought the branch down to the ground, and all flopped over from exhaustion. As Kaltag lay there on the floor trying to catch his breath, he smiled. Balto was alive, and he was home at last. But as quickly has his joy came, it left. Balto was safe, yes. But he was injured. Badly. He needed medical attention, and he needed it soon. Kaltag had to fight his burning and aching muscles to stand up. He turned to the two other dogs who were next to him on the ground. "Go get someone to help us!" he said. Before the two could even so much as lift their heads to respond to Kaltag, the recognizable laugh of Steele echoed throughout the sawmill. Kaltag shut his eyes. The last thing he needed to deal with right now was Steele in a rage. Kaltag looked up, and gasped. Steele was limping on three paws, and had one tucked up near his chest. It was stained with blood. "Where the hell have you three been?" Steele spat. Kaltag briefly glanced to where Balto was, and knew that the second Steele saw him, he would attack. So, to divert Steele away from Balto, he approached him. "Performing an emergency rescue." When Steele showed no response to this, Kaltag needed to make a split second decision. This was a pivotal moment. He could submit to Steele, or he could do the very thing he promised he would do. Stand up against him. He chose to fight back. "I didn't tell you because you don't care for that kind of stuff. So I asked Nikki and Star to help." Steele growled at Kaltag. "You complete fool! How dare you assume that I wouldn't want to help someone! I cannot believe you think that lowly of me. You disgust me, Kaltag," Steele said. "What idiot did you have to go save? Was it that lead dog from White Mountain's team? Or maybe the snow goose and those polar bear cubs took a long walk of shame and they got lost." Kaltag was getting mad now. Steele clearly showed no remorse for his words. "No, it wasn't any of that. We went to retrieve someone who came to try and help us get the medicine to Nome." Steele laughed, and turned away from them. "Ha! And who might that be?" Kaltag made sure that Nikki and Star were ready to defend Balto if things got out of hand. As soon as he got visual confirmation from them, he gave Steele his reply.

"You know exactly who, Steele. He came to help us, and you decided to put your selfish lust for power and domination before anyone else, and you will have to live with your decision to kill him for the rest of your life." Steele stopped dead in his tracks, and turned to face the three dogs standing there. "You are a sick dog, Steele. I could only live with what happened for so long. It eventually consumed me, and I could not take it anymore. I swore that I would avenge Balto, and when the opportunity presented itself, I did. And I am sick of playing your puppet. I don't give a rat's ass about what happens now, but I will _never_ associate with you again. _Ever_." Steele was speechless. He began walking toward the three. He then caught sight of Balto lying behind the three dogs. From the position that Steele was at, he was far enough away that he could not see Balto's shallow and slow breathing, and so he assumed that he was dead. And at that moment, he then lost his sense of sanity.

"YES! I killed him! I killed Balto! That wretched lobo deserved it! I'm glad you thought your little 'rescue' mission was worthwhile, but it wasn't. He's dead, and there's nothing you can do about it. He was the one thing that kept me from Jenna! I made the mistake of believing his pathetic lies on that cliff, if only for a split second. And as soon as I realized what I had done, I snapped. With him gone, nothing was stopping me." Steele continued to press forward. "I had her this close"- Steele emphasized with his injured paw- "to being my mate! She was this close! If she hadn't bit me and gotten away earlier, she would be mine! But she screwed it up! Big mistake for her! Once I'm done with you three here, I'll go deal with her, and then I'll make sure that you guys aren't found when people starting asking questions."

Jenna, who had witnessed the entire thing occur right near her hiding spot, could not believe what she was hearing. Not only did Steele lie straight to her face, twist her emotions, and try to force her into being his mate, he also screwed over other dogs in his grand plot to be top dog. He also confirmed what Aniu had shown her earlier. Steele murdered Balto. _Murdered her best friend_. There was no forgiving him for that. Ever. Jenna lost all control of herself at that point, and she didn't care. Steele was a monster, and he deserved no mercy. Kaltag, Nikki, and Star were busy holding Steele's small advancements back. Even with three against one, he still pressed forward. A low growl emanated from his throat, and it was one that no dog wanted to hear. As he got closer, it got louder. But every dog froze when Jenna's footsteps broke through the darkness and cold air of the sawmill. She appeared in a beam of light that was shining down through a hole in the roof. It was not very bright, but the burning rage and fire in her eyes was as clear as day, and it only added fuel to the inferno that was about to explode. He smirked at her, ready to enact revenge for her little stunt she pulled at the jetty. Even with an injured paw, Steele would rip them all to shreds. At long last, Jenna spoke, making her presence fully known. "This is going to be fun..."

And then all hell broke loose.

* * *

**A/N: Steele is in big trouble now! Jenna finally learns what really happened, and Steele confirmed it with his own words. She is not happy, as you can clearly see... What will become of Steele now? You'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out... We are one chapter away from the end! This one may take a little longer than expected, both due to writing it and dealing with real life things at the same time. But, rest assured it will be done soon and it will be good! Catch you all in Ch.7!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The Fall

_"This is going to be fun."_

Steele grinned. Jenna wanted a fight? Fine by him. He wanted payback from earlier with her biting his paw. He turned to fully face Jenna head on. She was starting to growl as she inched toward him, baring her teeth. Steele put on as best of an aggressive stance as he could, trying not to put any weight on his paw. Jenna on the other hand was in excruciating pain, but she could not feel it. She was enraged, and her pent up anger against Steele for what he did to her and Balto drowned out everything else. Her growl got lower and more menacing the closer she got to Steele.

Jenna made the first move, knowing if Steele got the jump on her, he would do major damage. She lashed out, snapping her jaws. Steele was able to dodge her, and retaliated with a snap of his own jaws. Unfortunately for Jenna, he caught her scruff near her shoulder. He threw her across the room, panting heavily as he watched her tumble on the ground. Jenna cried out in pain, and tried to stand up. She was unable to, but in a flash, Kaltag was at her side to help her up. Steele growled and shot Kaltag an angry look. Kaltag shrugged it off. Jenna limped off to the side, and now Steele was face to face with Kaltag.

"You're going to pay for that, you monster!" Kaltag growled, preparing for a fight. Steele just laughed. "Jenna is more of a fighter than you are and she's down for the count!" He paced back and forth. "You won't be too difficult to deal with." For a few minutes, Steele and Kaltag simply paced around each other in a circle, occasionally lashing out. Kaltag felt uneasy about the situation, but he knew that if he went down, Nikki and Star wouldn't be able to take on Steele. And then he realized that he was here, in the sawmill, facing off against Steele. _Steele!_ The one dog everyone revered. Everyone loved. The one dog he always feared. But the fact that he was now standing up against him and doing what he promised he would do gave him the kick of courage he needed to stay in the fight. With his newfound courage, Kaltag waited for Steele to make his next move. Steele bared his teeth for what seemed to be the hundredth time, and moved in for a strike. Kaltag was waiting for it. He easily dodged Steele and jumped to his side, headbutting him with great force. Steele stumbled back, caught off guard. He quickly shook it off and kept making small advances on Kaltag. All of them were futile. Kaltag wasn't playing around now. He could beat Steele if he played his cards right, and that was his intention.

As Steele and Kaltag faced off, Jenna managed to limp over to where Nikki and Star were. They only showed pained expressions, not knowing how to help her, or what to do in this situation. "Go get humans! Now!" she exclaimed. Nikki and Star quickly ran off to alert someone of what was going on. Jenna sighed, her injuries wearing her out even more. She could barely keep her eyes open now. But she turned her head to see the motionless form that was Balto. Somehow, Steele had not managed to get to him yet. Jenna broke down crying. She dragged herself over to him, and gently nestled her head on his neck. She took a deep breath, inhaling his scent. Oh, how she loved him. Here they were, both on death's doorstep, and they were together at last. She felt his body slowly rise and fall as he inhaled and exhaled. "Balto... Please, Balto... Don't leave me now..." Jenna whimpered. She nuzzled him, hoping that he would wake up. But, his breath suddenly hitched, and she felt him stop breathing.

Jenna turned to Steele, who was still facing off with Kaltag. She made her mind up right there. Steele was about to get hell, even if it ended with her dead. As she approached him, Kaltag caught her coming from behind, and made an effort to keep Steele occupied. "You've lost, Steele," he said. "Give up now before it's too late." Steele shot him a menacing reply. "HA! When I'm dead, I'll accept defeat. How about YOU give up now before I rip your heart out of your chest and drag your body down the street here in Nome! Would you like that?!" he spat. Kaltag did not like that at all, and attacked out of vengeance. He and Steele thrashed around, with more paw-to-body contact that anything else. Kaltag couldn't find an opportunity to sneak a bite in without exposing himself, so he just kept fighting. He hoped that Jenna was close to making a move, because eventually, he would be too tired to keep fighting Steele off.

Jenna waited patiently for her moment. Kaltag managed to pin Steele between a wall support post and some tool benches. After more heated growling, lashing out, and barking, Kaltag stopped his attacks. Steele growled at him. "Tired already? I'm not surprised," he laughed. "You were always the first one to show signs during the races." Steele continued to catch his breath. "Come on, Kaltag. Let's finish this. I gave you a chance to surrender. But clearly, you'd rather die than do that. I'm done playing games." Kaltag paced around, exposing Steele's side to Jenna. He gave Jenna the green light. Steele, who was busy taunting Kaltag, never saw it coming. Jenna was easily able to sink her teeth into his neck, and she brought him down on the ground with a hard slam. Steele immediately struggled to breath, and tried to fight Jenna off. That proved to be a very painful and futile decision. Jenna kept him down, trying to make his last moments as painful and stretched as possible. If she put her full force into the bite, she could kill him instantly. But she wanted him to suffer before he died. Like Balto suffered. Kaltag watched on in complete surprise. He knew Jenna wanted to attack, but he didn't expect her to attack so viciously. As Steele felt fatigued from the fight and his impending death, a weak voice from the corner of the sawmill caused Jenna to release her lock on his throat.

_"Stop this! Please!"_

During the fight, Balto had awoken from his slumber. He did not know where he was at first, but as time went on, he recognized that he was in the sawmill in Nome. He heard lots of fighting around him. He saw Jenna, who was snapping at Steele. She missed, and he watched as Steele caught her scruff, and threw her along the floor. His vision went blurry for a moment, and then it became clear. He realized that he had blacked out. Jenna was now laying next to him, nuzzling him. He smiled, and tried to talk to her. But as he inhaled for a breath, extreme pain radiated in his chest. His breathing cut out, and he blacked out again. When he finally came to, he was watching Jenna hold Steele to the ground with her jaws on his neck. His heart dropped. Jenna would never be able to live with herself if she knew what she was doing. Balto knew that what he needed to do would be extremely painful. He forced his muscles to comply with him, and with great difficulty, he rose to a prone stance. He mustered as much strength he could get to say, "Stop this! Please!"

As soon as Jenna heard his voice, she was at his side, tears pouring down her jaw. Balto was happy to see Jenna, but also in terrible pain. She could not get any words out. Balto softly nuzzled her in response. Kaltag stood between them and Steele, making sure that the malamute would not attack. Steele was bleeding from his neck, and struggling to breath. He managed to sit himself up. Standing directly in front of him was Kaltag, who gazed at him angrily. And on the opposite side of Kaltag was Balto and Jenna, who were sharing their heartfelt reunion. Steele yelled out to them. "Get over here, you filthy lobo. Let me finish what I started!" He started crawling towards them. Kaltag stood his ground, showing he was not moving. Steele yelled at him, too. "Move out of my way, or I'll rip you to shreds along with them!" Jenna suddenly appeared at Kaltag's side. Steele looked up at both of them. Jenna and Kaltag briefly glanced at each other, before moving to finish Steele off. But, Balto told them to stop.

"Stop. Let me speak to him."

As much as Kaltag and Jenna wanted to kill Steele, they complied with Balto. They parted to allow a clear line of sight between Balto and Steele. Balto sighed before he spoke. "I am sorry, Steele. I am sorry that I did not deserve to be considered a dog in your world. I am sorry that this end had to happen like this. I am sorry that you are the way that you are." Balto chuckled, immediately wincing in pain afterward. "And as crazy as this sounds..."- he looked Steele dead in the eyes-

_"I forgive you..."_

Jenna and Kaltag never expected Balto to say _that_. To _Steele_ of all dogs. Balto shut his eyes, and took a shaky breath. He turned to Steele again. "The fragile peace that has existed between us is gone now. Leave, and never return. I won't defend you again after this." He motioned to the two dogs standing a few feet away. "I won't stop them from killing you next time." Steele growled at first, but the reality of the situation finally hit him like a brick. If he didn't go, he would die. Steele struggled to stand up. His throat was in pain, and his breathing was labored. It took a minute or two, but he got to his feet and made his way to the door. He was half disoriented, but completely aware of everything. He slipped out the sawmill doors into the cold night, and limped off out of sight.

With Steele gone, Jenna went back to Balto's side, and stayed there until Nikki and Star returned with humans. The sight was a surprise for them, to say the least. Fur, blood, and saliva littered the room, and the humans eventually put two and two together that a fight had taken place. They assumed that Balto was the aggressor at first, but after seeing his condition, they knew it was another animal. They quickly got something to carry Balto on, and rushed him to the veterinary hospital. Luckily, the vet was there, and immediately began assessing his condition. Nikki, Kaltag, and Star followed them there, while Jenna went to clean herself up. Other than her leg and scruff being hurt, she was fine. After cleaning up, she went to find Rosy. She needed to see her, and to get them to the veterinary hospital to check on Balto. With the threat gone, Jenna limped around on three legs until she reached her house. She barked several times, until Rosy's dad answered the door. He was happy to see Jenna, but when he told her to come in, she refused. "Come on, Jenna. Get in here! It's cold out!" Jenna signaled towards the veterinary hospital with her body language, and Rosy's father understood. "Rosy! Get your mother and meet me in town! Something's wrong!"

* * *

The cold winter air was somehow very soothing for Steele as he limped along the snowy forest trail. The sounds of his paws as they contacted the ground sent a dull thud through the air, echoing off of the trees and distant cliff sides. Steele did not know how far or how long he had been walking, but he knew it had been for awhile. As he walked, his embarrassing defeat against his old friends was still fresh on his mind. After all of this time, they became cowards and turned on him. They only did it because they had numbers to back them up. They would have never done it alone. Steele couldn't say that about Jenna, though. She was never afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself. He knew very well that had he not left when they offered him the chance, Jenna would surely finished him off. After all, she bit his paw on the jetty and nearly suffocated him to death by biting his throat, and her rage from learning the truth about what happened would only make it ten times worse for him. The words that Balto spoke still lingered in his head. _"The fragile peace that has existed between us is gone now. Leave, and never return. I won't defend you again after this."_ Steele growled. Somehow, that filthy lobo got the better of him. Balto somehow survived, against all odds, and was the reason that he was now banished from Nome. As much as Steele wanted to kill Balto for that, he was severely outnumbered by the other dogs, and knew that leaving was the safest thing.

However, the last thing on Steele's mind was leaving Nome. Until he finished what he started, he would always have a lust for revenge in his heart, and he could not live with himself if he had given up on it. For the time being, Steele planned to lay low, and when the time was right, he would strike. And he didn't care if he died doing it. As long as Balto dies, he could care less what happened after. Steele inhaled as a small adrenaline rush hit him. But, he stopped dead in his tracks. He lifted his nose, praying dearly that he didn't smell...

_*Hoowwlll_* A wolf howled from the forest near him. Steele gulped. That was exactly what he didn't want to smell, but he did. Steele knew he was in trouble. With his injuries, he was an easy kill for any predator animal because he couldn't run. The snow started crunching off in the distance, and Steele could now smell the approaching wolves even more clearly now. He began to panic, and started limping off down the trail again. Fear was beginning to take over him, and he was desperately trying to think of a way out of his predicament. _"Help me! How do I get out of this?"_ Steele thought. The voice in his head always helped him whenever he needed it. _"Come on! I need help! What do I do?!"_ But Steele got nothing in response. The voice did not answer him. Steele tripped over a thick mound of snow and slid down into a ditch off of the trail. He forced himself to climb back up, even through the pain from his injuries. The wolves were now closing in on him, surrounding him from all directions. Steele looked forward down the trail. He could not find the will to run any further. As the wolves continued to close in, Steele begged one more time for help. But he got nothing. When the wolves finally appeared from the shadows, fear took over him completely. He could not speak or move. Not even his own conscience would act at all.

And so, Steele found himself completely alone in the Alaskan wilderness; his fall now at the hands of wolves.

* * *

Rosy and her parents sat patiently in the waiting room of the veterinary hospital, eagerly awaiting an update on Balto's condition. Along with them was Jenna, Kaltag, Nikki, and Star, who were also hoping to get some news on their friend. Jenna was holding back tears and fighting anxiety at the same time. Balto's condition was not good. She was no expert, but he was... bad. She didn't even want to picture him in her mind in his current condition. She did a great job of hiding her feelings from everyone, but there was one who was easily able to see through her cloak of pain and suffering.

"Oh, Jenna... Come here." Jenna shivered as she felt toddler-sized arms envelope her furry neck, and then felt a warm breath exhale on her shoulder. "He is going to be ok. I can feel it!" Rosy whispered. Jenna leaned into the form of her human, nuzzling her. Rosy's encouraging words helped more than she would ever know. "I hope you're right, Rosy... I don't know what I would do if I lost him..."

A creaking sound from the other side of the room caused everyone to snap to attention as the door opened, revealing the head veterinarian. He peaked out. "Excuse me, could you two please come in here for a moment?" he asked, gesturing for Rosy's parents to come in. They rose hastily and entered the room. Rosy started whimpering and followed. Her mother turned around and stopped her before she could enter. "Rosy, dear, go sit with the other dogs. We will tell you everything when we are done in there." Rosy pouted, but a stern look from her mother forced her to comply, and she went and resumed hugging Jenna.

**_In the room..._**

"Well, doc? How is he?" Rosy's father asked. The doctor sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead. "Not good. Whatever happened to this poor dog was brutal. He has severe bruising on his chest, sides, and waist, multiple broken ribs, two of his legs feel broken, and he is barely able to move." Rosy's parents exchanged nervous glances. "There are more injuries internally no doubt, but those are the ones I can obviously detect." "What do you think happened to him, doctor?" he asked. The veterinarian walked to his desk to take a drink of water from his cup. "If I had to guess, blunt force trauma of some sort. Maybe from being hit by something, or falling off of something. I can't say for sure, but whatever happened to him was bad. Very bad." The doctor, however, started twiddling his thumbs as he struggled to get out more words. "What's wrong?" Rosy's mother said, panic evident in her voice. After realizing that his actions scared the couple in front of him, he hastily apologized. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I was just about to say that... despite all of these injuries Balto has, they will all heal over time, and he will make a recovery." Rosy's parents smiled at this. But the smile disappeared at his next sentence. "However, due to the severity of his injuries, he will most likely be disabled to some extent. I can't speak too soon, but he will most likely be limited to light physical activity. Nothing too extreme." Rosy's parents were still overjoyed to hear this. Balto would survive, and recover. That was the most important part! They hugged each other, and then furiously shook the vet's hand. "Thank you for helping him! Rosy will be very happy to hear that Balto will live!" The vet smiled in response. "I will get to work on him right away. I will prepare for the surgery in the morning to see the true extent of his injuries. Rest assured, he is in good hands here."

Not wanting to waste more time, the two left the vet to do what he needed to do. They left the room, and as soon as they shut the door, they were met with nervous stares from both dogs and their daughter. They looked at each other, and then turned to face the others. The last thing any of them expected to hear was that Balto was going to be alright. Rosy screamed in happiness, and started jumping up and down. Kaltag, Nikki, and Star barked and jumped around excitedly, feeding off of Rosy's actions. Jenna finally lost it and started crying. But, they were not tears of sadness, or pain, or suffering like they had been since this whole ordeal began weeks ago. They were tears of happiness. Happiness that at last, she was reunited with Balto, and he was going to survive! Jenna then found herself sandwiched in between Rosy and her parents as they all shared a hug. Kaltag, Nikki, and Star sat a few feet away, letting the family have their moment. Kaltag turned to his two companions, and embraced them. "Good job, you two. I could not have wished for greater friends to share this moment with. We won the _real_ race: We rescued Balto, and we got him help." Nikki and Star smiled in response.

"You should lead the team from now on, Kaltag!" Star exclaimed. Kaltag smiled, happy that his friend thought highly of him, but knew that his time as a sled dog was done. "I'm not going to run on the team anymore, guys. I've had my share of fun, and I've ran my races. But, I'm done." Nikki and Star were in disbelief, but they understood why he stepped down. Kaltag had originally joined the team as a filler for one of the dogs, but ended up becoming a permanent member after he helped Steele win his first race. Ever since then, he was an official sled dog. But, Kaltag wanted to dissociate himself with anything that made him think of Steele, so leaving sledding behind was a necessity for him. "No matter what you do, Kaltag, we'll still support you. One hundred percent!" Nikki said, giving Kaltag a pat on the back.

The sight in the veterinary hospital was a warm one for anyone who saw it. A small family of three sat on the floor, cherishing a happy moment with their dog, while three other dogs laughed and celebrated their friendship together.

* * *

On a cliff facing Nome, a grey husky and a white wolf sat, watching over the small town. They sat in silence. The husky broke the silence moments later. "It's time, Aniu." The white wolf turned to look at the husky. "Yes, it is, my love. He will be in good hands here." The grey husky smiled. He then turned and stared out into the forest on the horizon, east of Nome. "What about him?" he asked. Aniu walked up next to him, following his gaze into the forest. "His fate was set long ago. He had the chance to change it, but he refused." The white wolf turned to walk off into the night, the grey husky following at her side. And in the blink on an eye, they were gone, vanishing into the night air.

* * *

**A/N: Annnndddd cut! That's a wrap, folks! Pride is done! This whole project took longer than I thought it would, but I am glad I didn't rush it. I told the story exactly how I initially planned it to go, and it turned out pretty darn well! While this is the end of the main story, this is not, you know, _the end_. I have an epilogue planned, so sit tight while I get that finished up. I'll tell you that it will tie up some loose ends, and maybe answer some questions you might have about things. I don't know, though. I'll let y'all figure that out for yourselves!**


	9. Epilogue

**Pride Comes Before The Fall**

Epilogue

Life. What is it? Very few people know just how precious it is. You go to sleep every night, with a plan on the next days' events. You expect life to go on as it always does. But, for the wolfdog Balto, that was not the case.

Many years ago, Balto discovered just how precious life was. He risked his own life to save the ones he loved, and he paid the ultimate price for it. But, his sacrifice did not go unnoticed, and therefore he was allowed to survive. He discovered that in a blink of an eye, life can change, for better or for worse. Fortunately for him, it changed in his favor.

Balto snapped out of his thoughts to find the bright sunlight forcing him to squint his eyes. A cool breeze from the nearby ocean provided some protection against the onset of the summer heat, and the soft, gentle clap of the waves at his paws made it feel even cooler out. Balto rose and walked to the side of his trawler. The shade provided by it was very alluring, and as soon as the radiant heat from the sun was vanquished by it, he sighed in relief. The playful yelp of pups grabbed his attention, and he turned to look back out to the beach. Kodi, his eldest son, was jogging along with his pups in tow. At the tail end of the line was Kodi's wife, Dusty, ensuring that there were no stragglers. Balto smiled at the sight. He ever imagined that he would be a father, much less a grandfather. He never thought that a wolfdog could find love. He was right, of course. He didn't find love.

Love found him. In the form of a very beautiful husky named Jenna.

Speaking of Jenna, Balto glanced around to try to find her, but he could not. On a small sandbar, a good three hundred or so feet away, was Kaltag, one of Balto's closest friends, and godfather to his children. Kaltag was playing with his own grandpups in the shallow water, gently splashing around with them. It reminded Balto of when he did the same thing with his pups when they were young, and subsequently his grandpups too. Balto was so focused on the lovable sight that he was taken by surprise when one of his own grandpups collided into his feet.

"Woah there, kiddo! Where are you going in such a hurry?" Balto asked. The pup planted himself at Balto's feet and wagged his furry tail, clearly excited. "Grandpa Balto, I came to ask you to come run with me on the beach! Would you? Would you?" he exclaimed. Balto couldn't say no to him. He was just too darn cute. Before Balto could reply, the stern voice of Kodi came from a few feet away. "Flint, why aren't you out running with the rest of your brothers and sisters?" he asked. The pup turned to face his father and replied, "I wanted grandpa Balto to come run with me..." The sudden change of demeanor from happy to sad made Balto feel terrible. Kodi walked up and nuzzled his son, sarcastically saying, "Your grandpa is old and can't run like he used to. He won't be able to keep up with your quick paws!" Flint smiled again, and started chasing his tail. "Oh, come on Kodi. I'm not that old. I can keep up with him plenty!" Balto said matter-of-factly. Kodi laughed, but he quickly took on a serious look again. "Dad, are you sure you can run with him? You've never been the same since all those years ago when you got hurt... I don't want you to get hurt again." Balto chuckled, and strode up to his son. "Kodi, I appreciate the fact that you care about my well being. I can't run like I used to, but I can hold a stride with my grandson with no problems. Besides, it's not every day that I can do that. Pretty soon, Flint will get so fast, that he will have to slow down for me." Kodi nodded, and he and Balto turned to Flint. "Ok, pup. You still up for a quick run?" Balto asked. The yips of happiness that he got in response was all the answer he needed, and the two took off down the beach. Kodi smiled at the sight of his father and son running together. It reminded him of when he and his father first went running down the beach. It was winter time, and freezing cold, but Kodi still enjoyed the moment.

As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun. The day progressed into afternoon, and Balto and Flint returned back from their run along the beach. Flint ran off to join his parents and siblings who were playing in the water. Balto went back to the shade, and dropped to a prone position. He sighed, and shut his eyes. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I haven't seen you run like that in a while, Balto." Balto turned and saw Kaltag approaching. A few seconds later, Kaltag was prone beside Balto, and the two conversed together. "Yeah, well, I couldn't resist giving my grandson a good time." Balto groaned, saying, "Even if I'm going to be sore for the next week." Kaltag laughed. "I'd take pain like that if it meant I get to put a smile on their face. You know what I mean?" Balto nodded. "Yep. It's one hundred percent worth it." Kaltag glanced off to make sure his grandpups weren't getting themselves into any trouble. He was delighted to see Boris entertaining them with his goose shenanigans. "When are your wife and kids getting back from their vacation?" Balto asked, seeing Kaltag's train of vision. Kaltag sighed. "Not for another couple weeks or so. The temperatures in Canada are still a bit warmer there than they are here, so they are going to wait it out a little longer. Plus, my humans have really nice family members, and they treat us animals really well. I'm sure my wife and kids are pampered right now!" The two dogs laughed, before a small whimper came from one of Kaltag's grandpups. Boris motioned for Kaltag to come over there. "Duty calls!" Kaltag said as he rose up. "I know the feeling!" Balto responded. Kaltag grinned at him and walked out towards his grandpup. Balto prepared to relax a bit more, but was interrupted by the very dog he wanted to see.

"Care to explain what Kaltag meant when he said '_I haven't seen you run like that in a while_?'"

Jenna took Kaltag's spot at Balto's side and snuggled up against Balto, nuzzling him. He leaned into her. "Hi Jenna. What have you been up to all day?" Balto asked. Jenna shifted herself so she was on her side. "I was with Rosy and her parents. I really wanted to come here earlier, but I didn't want to leave them so soon." Balto turned to look at Jenna. "Don't feel bad. The pups have been playing in the shallow water all day. You really didn't miss much." Jenna gave Balto a knowing look. "Apparently I missed you.. what was it.. Running? My question from moments ago still stands!" Jenna said. Balto chuckled. "Yeah, I did go for a little run. Flint wanted me to run with him, so I did." Balto knew Jenna would protest, so he quickly continued. "But, don't worry! His little paws can't carry him that fast, so it was really more of a light jog for me." Balto met Jenna's eyes, and he instantly knew she felt bad about it. "Oh, come on, Jenna! Eventually, I'm not going to be able to do anything but walk with my grandpups. I wasn't going to let the moment slip away forever." Jenna simply sighed, before she smiled. "I guess you're right. But still... even after what happened to you all those years ago... You can still run. I'm surprised." Balto didn't want to think about that part of his past. "I took the doctor's advice and healed up before getting back into physical activity." Jenna didn't respond, and she shifted away from Balto. It didn't go unnoticed to him. The fact that Jenna had brought up the past was a surprise to him, and now she was acting weird all of a sudden. Something was wrong.

"You look troubled. What's up, Jenna?" Balto asked, feeling very concerned. Jenna simply turned away from him. Balto shifted closer to her, pressing her for more information. "Jenna, please tell me what's bothering you. I can't help if I don't know what the problem is." Jenna knew it was only a matter of time before she caved. Balto had a way of getting her to talk. Maybe it was the fact that he always knew how to make her feel better? Or maybe it was because he genuinely wanted to help her. But, this was something she wasn't sure Balto could help her with. Jenna finally broke, eager to get it out of her system. "This is going to sound crazy, and will probably be awkward, but... How can you live so freely and not let your past haunt you?" Balto could have laughed, or chuckled, or shunned her for prying into his personal emotions. But, this was a serious question. Jenna spoke before he could reply to her. "Over the past few years, I have had this rage building inside me for what happened to you. I have wanted to avenge you, to hunt down Steele... that monster... and kill him. He deserved to die that night." Balto was shocked. He couldn't believe that this was just now coming out. Jenna always wore her heart on her sleeve, and for her to hide something like this without him knowing was a big deal. But, Balto knew exactly what she was going through. He almost went through it himself, but he made a choice that night in the sawmill that saved him from enduring the very torture that his wife was now telling him about.

And, it just so happened that Balto knew the cure to it.

"Jenna, follow me," Balto said. Without question, Jenna followed him, and the two walked to the deck of the trawler, and stood facing the early stages of the setting sun. "What are we doing here, Balto?" Jenna asked, clearly confused. Balto started talking to Jenna. "I once wanted to kill Steele for what he did to me. I wanted to destroy him. I wanted him to be begging me to kill him when I was through with him." Jenna could not speak. This was the side of Balto she had never seen before, and secretly wanted to see. She wanted Balto to feel the same way she did about killing Steele. "But, on that night, I knew that I would be tortured for the rest of my life if I didn't set things straight with Steele." Jenna didn't understand this at all, so she asked him to elaborate. "I know the way you feel Jenna, and that's why I forgave Steele that night." Jenna gasped. "If I hadn't forgiven him for doing that to me, I would never be able to live with myself. I would always want to hunt him down and finish him off." Balto turned to Jenna, and noticed she was starting to cry. This was when he needed to sway her. "Jenna, you've let my past torture you for far too long. I promise you, that if you let all of this go and forgive Steele, everything will go away." Jenna pondered over this for a few seconds, and then suddenly snarled at Balto. "That's not easy for me to do, considering the fact that he used me and tried to force me into being his mate! Oh, and also how he lied to me about what happened to you, and took advantage of me?! I don't see how you can forgive someone for that!" Jenna's anger flash was gone almost as soon as it came up. Balto had to take a step back. He and Jenna had some arguments in the past, but she never lashed out at him over anything. Jenna noticed Balto's reaction, and she immediately broke down crying. Balto was at her side in an instant, speaking to her softly, calming her down. "He wanted to kill me, Jenna. That's not much worse than what you described. If I can forgive Steele for something like that, you can forgive him, too. I know you can." And, Balto turned and walked away. He felt bad for turning his back on Jenna, but the seed was planted, and now it needed time to grow. He felt confident that Jenna would eventually come around. And he was right. He barely made it halfway down the plank before he heard Jenna speak timidly from behind him.

"I can't do this alone. I need you, Balto."

And so, Balto immediately turned around and joined Jenna on the deck again. It took longer than anticipated, but Jenna confessed everything about her rage, her anger, and her hatred against Steele. And she released it, and then forgave him for what he did. Balto had never felt more proud than he did at that moment. He could not imagine how difficult it must have been to say 'I forgive you' to someone who had caused so much pain. But, Jenna did, and he could tell that something had shifted with her. She had perked up, and looked more alert, and more alive. Her eyes were practically shining like the afternoon sun, and she looked... _free_. Balto nuzzled Jenna. "I'll be back on the beach. Join me when you're ready." He then turned and walked down the plank. Balto walked back to where he was lying down, and he caught sight of something he could've sworn he had seen before. Kodi was running down the beach again. From a distance, Balto could've mistaken him for Jenna, but he knew it was his son. His pups were holding pace with him. Dusty was at the rear, her voice cheering the pups on with encouragement. Off to the left was Kaltag and his grandpups, who were busy making 'sand angels' with Boris. Every now and then, Boris would roar with laughter, and the pups would follow suit. Balto knew he had seen this scene somewhere, but he couldn't quite put a paw on it. He wanted this beautiful moment to last forever. Everything at that moment was perfect.

"This is the life," Jenna said.

Balto turned to see her standing next to him, looking out over the other dogs on the beach. She had a content smile on her face. Balto melted at the sight. "_Now_ everything is perfect," he whispered to himself. He shut his eyes and smiled.

"I couldn't agree more!"

* * *

**~The End~**


End file.
